jskarp Posted October 7, 2012 Posted October 7, 2012 This is creating a big debate at my house this year....I would prefer to stay with the real tree but DH is strongly campaigning for an artificial tree..... I maybe swayed due to the allergy issues.... but the cost us holding me back...any thoughts or advise?
riven3d Posted October 7, 2012 Posted October 7, 2012 we have to have artificial, allergies. think of it this way, each year you go out and buy a real one and throw it out when xmas is over because its dead, with the artificial you just pack it away for the next year. after a year or so its paid for itself.
carolannec Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 I just bought an artificial last year for the first time ever. Best decision ever. After 3 deployments, it's hard getting a huge live tree all set up by yourself, lol. DH is not deployed this year, so he's voting for putting up the fake AND getting a real tree. We'll see though when it gets closer if we'll do both.
guilliam Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 We used to get a live tree but a few years ago it never got cold enough to kill all the allergens in them and I got hives and pink eye just decorating ours. Every since we have had an artificial one.
angelbabymommy Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 I bought an artificial tree a couple years ago & I loved it, still do.....BUT this year, I have to admit that I'm getting the "real tree blues" lol I really miss having a real tree. I have carpet tho, so its no way I'm gonna be fighting with needles!
Stowasser Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 I bought an artificial tree a couple years ago & I loved it, still do.....BUT this year, I have to admit that I'm getting the "real tree blues" lol I really miss having a real tree. I have carpet tho, so its no way I'm gonna be fighting with needles!This is how I feel, we got one at 75% off several years ago but I miss the smell and tradition of going to get one but we have a fireplace that dries it out so fast, we can't put it up until later in the month and when it gets taken down, the needles are all over the place
Iliveforblckfri Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 Yankee Candle makes a great Christmas Wreath Candle for the smell of the real tree. Small candles are on a Columbus Day Sale tonight/tomorrow for 5.49.
bribri25 Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 I would go one more year with real because you can buy am artificial on day after xmas for a very discounted price. BF will probably get you decent, but I seem to remember day after xmas being even better. Then you can have one last year with the real tree and make it everything you've ever dreamed of!
peppysfireball Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 It was always tradition in our house for the kids to go cut one down. THey would have been appalled to have an artificial one. It was the same when I grew up. THe last few years, my last kid at home balked when it came time to go cut a tree, it was always deer season the week I wanted to go get one. My husband wouldn't do it, I had to go myself. I got nothing but complaints on the tree I chose. My son would go and not like any tree I picked. We don't have much room, I want short and skinny. Last year, they kept asking where the rest of the tree was. We has about a 6 foot tree. It looked nice I thought. After xmas I went to kmart when the trees were 75% off and they had tons. I got the display model of the rotating tree since it was only 10.00 more than the one that didn't rotate. I paid 75.00 for it. It was a 300.00 tree. I just hope it fits in my living room. It's 71/2 foot tall. LOL. The box alone is 7 foot long and takes 2 people to carry. It has the hinge system. My mom keeps hers put together and sits it in her basement with a tree bag over it. IF I was getting artificial. it wasn't going to be a cheapy that looks artificial. I got a nice one.
Kanyon71 Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 We usually end up with 1 of each. The artificial goes in the livingroom window as it's HUGE 9' tall and super wide, I got it from Sears one year right before Christmas like days before. It was the last one they had and at the time it was like a $700 tree I think I ended up paying like $125 or $150 for it. Awesome deal. Only problem we have now is the box got wet a couple years ago and I have nothing to put it in when broken down. Until I can find something we leave it up and put different things on it lol. Now the real tree goes in our livingroom every year.
Rose0426 Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 My stepson and his family always have a real one in their house and it looks beautiful. Last year, a praying mantis must have built its egg nest in there, and with the warmth of the house, you guessed it, thousands of baby praying mantis all over their house. They said it was a nightmare. This year they are going artificial .
shopping4my3son Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 My stepson and his family always have a real one in their house and it looks beautiful. Last year, a praying mantis must have built its egg nest in there, and with the warmth of the house, you guessed it, thousands of baby praying mantis all over their house. They said it was a nightmare. This year they are going artificial . OMG. Yuck! We've always had artificial. When my husband was a kid he was allergic to real. Last year we did put a real one on the porch.
bluebear Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 My stepson and his family always have a real one in their house and it looks beautiful. Last year, a praying mantis must have built its egg nest in there, and with the warmth of the house, you guessed it, thousands of baby praying mantis all over their house. They said it was a nightmare. This year they are going artificial .We had the same thing happen to us one year, the first year we got a real tree. It was sad, and a mess too.With a real tree, it's nice not having to store it. But with artificial, it's nice not having to water and clean up after it so much.
Stowasser Posted October 8, 2012 Posted October 8, 2012 One thing I did was after buying it at 75% off, came home and assembled it, we lived with it for a few days and decided it looked nice and I packed it away. If we didn't like it, I would of taken it back
jskarp Posted October 9, 2012 Author Posted October 9, 2012 One thing I did was after buying it at 75% off, came home and assembled it, we lived with it for a few days and decided it looked nice and I packed it away. If we didn't like it, I would of taken it backThat is a terrific idea!!! That way I don't feel like I am making a lifetime commitment..
hillbillyswife Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 real tree love the smell but with a puppy this year who knows what will happen lol
happysunshine28 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 If someone in the house has allergies from the tree and that person want a artificial tree that should be the answer. IMO
dealluvr Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 in these hard times i have been saving early for a real tree just because gifts arent that plenty now and having a real tree makes it really feel like the holidays to me.that is my gift to myself each year
momlori Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Love the smell of the real tree but the artificial is beautiful and full with no bare spots and costs less over several years.
Kanyon71 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 It's crazy how much real tress can be especially here. The last one we got I think was in excess of $120 for a nice big full one. Whats kind of funny is I asked the guy at the lot where he gets the trees from and he said Michigan which is where I was born and raised and the place was about an hour from where I grew up. so now we use them every year we get one makes me feel like I'm supporting my home state lol
peppysfireball Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Wow, they sell by the foot here. A 6 footer is around 20.00 a 10 footer is about 30. It's crazy how much real tress can be especially here. The last one we got I think was in excess of $120 for a nice big full one. Whats kind of funny is I asked the guy at the lot where he gets the trees from and he said Michigan which is where I was born and raised and the place was about an hour from where I grew up. so now we use them every year we get one makes me feel like I'm supporting my home state lol
Kanyon71 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 Wow, they sell by the foot here. A 6 footer is around 20.00 a 10 footer is about 30.I think it has to do with the importing of them down here. They don't last a long time sitting out in the heat and I would NEVER allow a sand pine in my house unless I wanted all the nasty bugs that come with them. The smaller trees are a little more reasonable but we have real tall ceilings so we try to get them big and I love the nice wide full ones. This is my favorite time of the year brings back SOOOOO many childhood memories of all the family piling into our little house back then, tons of food, laughter and just flat out good times.
jskarp Posted October 9, 2012 Author Posted October 9, 2012 My last tree was $85 for a beautiful 7.5 tree.....cost of importing definitely is not an issue....the tree only from Vermont to the MA border....lol
Jen198 Posted October 9, 2012 Posted October 9, 2012 We pay $58 where we go for about 6.5, but we get a different kind then the normal ones they sell at lots, I can't remember the name of it! The branches curl and are soft, but the trees barely lose any needles and don't make a mess which I love! lol
peppysfireball Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 I',m in Illinois and there are tree farms right here. We cut our own. THey will shake it and bag it for 1.00 extra in a machine THey have the soft ones also, any kind we pick . THere are tons of tree farms all teh way up the river. That's their best crop in the river bottoms.
LCPanther1975 Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 My stepson and his family always have a real one in their house and it looks beautiful. Last year, a praying mantis must have built its egg nest in there, and with the warmth of the house, you guessed it, thousands of baby praying mantis all over their house. They said it was a nightmare. This year they are going artificial .this made me smile!!
LCPanther1975 Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 We do a real tree. We used to have carpet and had to do artificial, but once we moved and had hardwood floors, cleaning up a few needles is worth it! I love the smell ! We get a frazier fir.
Turtle Mommy Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 We put up both. The living room gets a fake one and our family room gets a real one.
aleighc1 Posted October 14, 2012 Posted October 14, 2012 We started doing artificial about 6 years ago, after we found out our son has severe allergies. As much as I enjoyed the smell of the real tree, I love not having to water it, sweep up the needles, deal with sap, etc......
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