Poll: Your Christmas tree this year

[Qs Laptop]

If we had a place to store an artificial tree I might be tempted. However, most of what I see are made with branches with twisted wire with the foliage cut square at the ends. Not what I would want. I have seen a limited number of companies that have branches that actually look like real needles on a Blue Spruce but they are few and far between. If they were reasonably priced (not $200) I might get a 5 foot tree.

Cheers!

The problem I have with artificial trees is that they are expensive relative to the manufacturing costs. As you say, it's mostly wire and plastic. There's probably $20-$25 worth of material in a fake tree. Yet the cost 10X to 30X that amount. I daresay the box it comes in is the single most expensive component.

I know, I know, artificial tree proponents will say to look at spending $500 on an artificial tree as saving money on the long haul--that's 8 to 10 years of natural tree expenses, but after that you've made your money back, then no more expenses.

I suppose I'll eventually switch over to an artificial tree. They are doing some wonderful stuff with LED lights and lighting controls these days.

 

[MBAustin]

Artificial since we found out DS was allergic to real trees when he was 2. I collect ornaments when I travel, so I now have two 6' skinny trees that go on either side of the TV in the family room. They are stored in the garage closet fully assembled (but undecorated) with plastic over them to avoid dust.

 

[FiveDriver]

All of these Christmas Tree stories reminded me of a wonderful childhood memory.

Back in the day, long before arty-fishal trees, the live trees were standard issue. My Dad was the Fire Chief one year and he instituted a 'dried tree round up' in January. The Fire Truck would go around and collect the trees out at the curb. That night there would be a huge bonfire by the pond in town. If it was cold enough there would be some skaters out on the ice. The firemen would sell hot chocolate to raise a little money, and of course there would be a 50-50 raffle.

I can clearly remember that big pile of a hundred dried-up trees with the ladder truck's spotlight shining on it. It didn't take more than a rolled up newspaper to ignite the pile.

Some of that old metallic tinsel would blaze up in bright colors. The piney smell in the night air. The town-folk came out to watch the fire -- this was a lesson in just how easily the tree could catch fire in your Living Room.

 

[Fermion]

I did notice on one section of our mountain property that the firs were growing 2x to 3x faster than other areas. It is weird, because this is a bench and I would have thought it would be drier during the summer but a fir there that was only 2 feet tall 5 years ago is now over 10 feet tall.

Should I seed that area in some different species of future Christmas trees? I have not really researched the best types for this area (north eastern Washington state). I know douglas fir, blue spruce, cedar, and ponderosa pine grow quite well. It does get dry during July/August.

 

[jollystomper]

The problem I have with artificial trees is that they are expensive relative to the manufacturing costs. As you say, it's mostly wire and plastic. There's probably $20-$25 worth of material in a fake tree. Yet the cost 10X to 30X that amount. I daresay the box it comes in is the single most expensive component.

I know, I know, artificial tree proponents will say to look at spending $500 on an artificial tree as saving money on the long haul--that's 8 to 10 years of natural tree expenses, but after that you've made your money back, then no more expenses.

I suppose I'll eventually switch over to an artificial tree. They are doing some wonderful stuff with LED lights and lighting controls these days.

The time to buy an artificial tree is after Christmas. The last few years, I have noticed more than a few artificial trees still in the stores into early January with big markdowns. Last year I could not resist picking up one that was marked down 90%. So that is a possibility.

Seeing that Christmas trees this year are running around $100 in our area, getting an artificial tree at a discount can shorten the payback time frame.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Maybe this should go in the BTD or Inflation Example thread.

While shopping at HEB today and walking through the live Christmas tree display, we saw a beautiful 12 foot noble fir with a $600 price tag.

DW and I agreed we should wait for the after Christmas sale to see if we could get it for half price.

And that will be a Cheapwad find. I say I'm going to get a new one after XMAS every year and then I always forget to do it.

 

[Qs Laptop]

The time to buy an artificial tree is after Christmas. The last few years, I have noticed more than a few artificial trees still in the stores into early January with big markdowns. Last year I could not resist picking up one that was marked down 90%. So that is a possibility.

Seeing that Christmas trees this year are running around $100 in our area, getting an artificial tree at a discount can shorten the payback time frame.

Good advice. I will be checking prices after Christmas.

 

[Car-Guy]

Good advice. I will be checking prices after Christmas.

I'll bet you can get a real tree for free on Dec 26 from most Christmas tree lots.

 

[Trailwalker]

Our little six foot white pine that we selected yesterday ($42).

 

[Koolau]

The time to buy an artificial tree is after Christmas. The last few years, I have noticed more than a few artificial trees still in the stores into early January with big markdowns. Last year I could not resist picking up one that was marked down 90%. So that is a possibility.

Seeing that Christmas trees this year are running around $100 in our area, getting an artificial tree at a discount can shorten the payback time frame.

We did that years ago and then had no good place to store it in our relatively small apartment. We do have a 4 x 4 x 4 storage unit, but that's where we keep all the old paint and medical equipment (walkers, potty, shower chair, etc.) that we've accumulated over the years.

We ended up giving the tree to the HOA to decorate the lobby. THEY threw it away after that particular Christmas! The HOA has no extra storage room either! Storage units in the Islands are outrageously expensive. Not a lot of sense to store a $100 tree for $100/month.

 

[Sue J]

In the early '80s, when the kids were little we tried a real tree. Looked a lot smaller on the lot before we brought it home. It took up too much room in the living room, got sap on the carpet and the cat thought it was all hers.

After that we tried the artificial tree. I liked that because we could leave some branches off the back so it could sit closer to the wall. The cat really liked that one.

But we weren't Christians and this all seemed quite hypocritical. Just doing it because everyone else did it and it looked like fun. So we stopped the whole business and went on without it. Suited us just fine.

DH donated the artificial tree to his office and they used it for many years.

 

[aaronc879]

No tree for me, no kids. I have never had a tree in my own home. Growing up my parents used a real tree until us kids were in the double digits then went to smaller artificial tree.

 

[Venturer]

Growing up and early in married life I had live cedar trees cut from my granddads farm. Then in the mid 70's I drove big trucks over the road and would get spruce,or white pine trees from NC, then when DD went off to school we switched to artificial. We always had lots of outside decorations though. I still have them out in my building but now it is just too much trouble to get them out and fix the burned out lights ,hang the lights on house,bushes,trees,& set up the reindeer,sleighs,and carolers in yard. So this year we have the lighted wreaths on door and windows,out side and a 4ft.artificial in living room,with stockings hung on mantle. Sooo much easier now!

 

[folivier]

DW is probably wanting to get a new artificial tree after this Christmas so if anyone finds a good bargain please post it.

 

[euro]

Our artificial tre appears to have moved out onto the front porch in recent years.

 

[misanman]

This is a 20 year old 10' pre lit artificial that we have upstairs - Christmas family photos are taken here. We have a 6' artificial downstairs where we open presents. Not sure how much longer we can handle the 10 footer but the GKs love it so we will soldier on for a while longer.

 

[iloveyoga]

This is a 20 year old 10' pre lit artificial that we have upstairs - Christmas family photos are taken here. We have a 6' artificial downstairs where we open presents. Not sure how much longer we can handle the 10 footer but the GKs love it so we will soldier on for a while longer.

I love Christmas trees. This is beautiful!

 

[O2Bfree]

I grew up with a really nice artificial tree that people always thought was real. I'm sure the pine scent spray that dad used on it added to that impression.

 

[6miths]

Real 9' Fraser fir. Love the smell.

 

[MarieIG]

DH bought a real tree. He went to several stores - and said the selection in our area was poor.

 

[Gadabout]

Real trees that we cut ourselves: a 7-footer from a local tree farm and a 5-footer that we cut in our woods, the latter a Charlie Brown tree for next to the clawfoot tub upstairs.

 

[Singletrack]

We finally migrated from real trees to an 8 or 9-footer from Balsam Hill. It comes in four sections, and it's pre-lighted. Pretty easy to set up and decorate, and it came with two large storage bags.

 

[GrayHare]

Sounds like Balsam Hill has thought of everything. Even a bag so one spouse has a place to put the body of the other after assembling THE TREE and ALL its decorations EXACTLY RIGHT.

 

[O2Bfree]

Sounds like Balsam Hill has thought of everything. Even a bag so one spouse has a place to put the body of the other after assembling THE TREE and ALL its decorations EXACTLY RIGHT.

My brother said he knew his marriage was in trouble when his wife got on his case about the outside lights not all pointing down at the same angle.

 

[Singletrack]

Sounds like Balsam Hill has thought of everything. Even a bag so one spouse has a place to put the body of the other after assembling THE TREE and ALL its decorations EXACTLY RIGHT.

Yep, that is pretty close to reality...