The Christmas Tree

[Sue J]

Up to age 21 I never had a Christmas tree. The family was Jewish.

Age 21 to 28 DH and I were in a small/cheap apartment so we had either a Christmas branch and hung cards on it or had a small tabletop artificial tree.

Age 29, 30 and 31 We had a house and one or two young kids and thought we ought to have a Christmas tree. I remember buying the smallest real tree on the lot and when we got it home it looked enormous in our living room or dining room. We got tree sap on the carpet and needles dropping were a problem.

Age 32 - 45 or so We bought a reasonable sized artificial tree. It took up a good portion of the dining room (no way you are putting that in the living room) and the cats thought we bought it for them. After a few years I figured out we didn't need all those branches in the back, if we just used the front half the tree could get that much closer to the wall and we regained a lot of our space.

Somewhere along the way we decided that we weren't Christians the rest of the year so who were we kidding, the tree was just for fun.

Finally, DH took our artificial tree to his office and rather than bring it home he would leave it there for next year. Left it there for a few years and then when he retired he donated it to his office.

No plans on ever having a Christmas tree again. Now we have a new baby grandson. His parents are atheist and Buddhist leanings so who knows what they will do.

[Scuba]

We didn’t have a tree for many years because of our cats. Once we no longer had cats, we started getting real trees. I prefer the smell and the look, and we don’t have space to store an artificial tree anyway. Someday we may cut down to a tabletop tree, but if we do, I still want it to be real.

[VanWinkle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba We didn’t have a tree for many years because of our cats. Once we no longer had cats, we started getting real trees. I prefer the smell and the look, and we don’t have space to store an artificial tree anyway. Someday we may cut down to a tabletop tree, but if we do, I still want it to be real.

The Christmas Tree was like a gift to our cat every year as she batted ornaments and climbed the trunk to the mid way point. She never toppled the tree and seemed to enjoy every minute. I agree with downsizing, but still getting a real tree.

[Aerides]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba We didn’t have a tree for many years because of our cats. Once we no longer had cats, we started getting real trees. I prefer the smell and the look, and we don’t have space to store an artificial tree anyway. Someday we may cut down to a tabletop tree, but if we do, I still want it to be real.

I have two feral cats who hang out indoors with me. The youngest is only semi-feral having known me her whole life, but her mama will never let me touch her, despite me feeding her for over 7 years and coming in the house regularly over 4). They love the tree - but only to sit under. Maybe because they climb real trees whenever they want, they've never tried it with my christmas trees.

But fake tree for me. I used to get real, but in S. Fla a cut tree doesn't always last 4 weeks, let alone 5 or 6 if I like to put it up the day after thanksgiving. I'm on year 10 on my fake one, finally had to replace the lights but it's a keeper.

[ncbill]

Had real trees until the kids were born...then found they were allergic.

So I snagged an artificial tree from a relative who was moving & we've been using it for the past 20+ years.

I'd never buy a real tree again.

[meleana]

We always got a real tree at a tree farm. It was a special day each year for our family. Our son loved it.

Years ago when my dad was dying I just ran out and bought an artificial tree. He passed right after XMAS.

Then our son went away to college out of state and eventually ended up living in that town permanently.

We visit him there each XMAS and he lives alone in a small apartment so we stay at a resort or at an Inn and eat out for the holiday. Stress free. No decorating for us. We simply admire everyone else’s decorations.

We have happily gotten used to this now and can’t even imagine having to deal with trees and decorating and lots of gift buying.

[Caskem]

We must have a tree per my wife. However, it is fake and now we only use the top half and sit it on a table. Bah humbug!

[hausfrau]

I have to have a real tree. I love the smell. I have a lot of German and old family ornaments, so I like to get a pretty big tree. We have an old house with tall ceilings and this year's tree is touch too tall, lol. It's a gorgeous tree this year though.

I go all out with Christmas decorating. I normally like an uncluttered look all year round, but Christmas is different. I hang lights all over the house. I have a second mini tree for the dining table. My mantle looks like a Santa explosion and most flat surfaces have either a Christmas village, nativity scene or German/Scandinavian knick knacks (or all the above). I can't help it.

[Bestwifeever]

We’ll have family here on 12/15 to help decorate the really pretty live tree we just bought at Costco ($41.99), which will make memories for the granddaughters, and again for Christmas dinner. A nice wreath from the Boy Scouts hangs on our house. I would not care a whit if DD or DS had a faux tree themselves but so far they have only had live ones.

[Rianne]

We used to live near Inverness, a suburb of Chicago in the late 90's. DH worked in Barrington, IL. Very exclusive areas, though we were young and poor, we used to drive around and marvel at the decorations. Come to find out most were hired decorators. Outside and inside. Many of the mansions did not have window coverings so you could look inside. Now, I think it's creepy.