Friday, December 19, 2008

Save The Trees!...Or Not

Did you know that if you google 'real christmas tree vs. fake christmas tree' you get a list of 298,000 websites? Well, make that 298,001 after I hit publish on this post. I had no idea it was such an issue. Pro-real tree people make the argument that by buying a real tree, you are giving your money to local tree farmers instead of manufacturers in China. Pro-artificial tree people argue that fake trees can last for 15 years while real ones last only for a short amount of time before it's thrown into a landfill.

When I bought my artificial, pre-lit Christmas tree 8 years ago, I promise I wasn't taking a stance. I was just being lazy, that's all. Drudging from farm to farm trying to find the perfect tree, stringing lights, watering it, vacuuming up pine needles, it's just too much for me. But what about you? Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Christmas Tree Lots by Chris Green

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29 comments:

  1. Real...need to have the real tree smell!

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  2. This the first year, in almost 15 yrs. of marriage, we have a fake tree. We bought it for the same reasons you did!

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  3. Had a real tree as a kid, every year. Got married. Had a real tree twice. I got sick of stepping on leftover stray needles in May, and Shane got sick of lugging it up to the 2nd floor. (we lived in a double back then).

    3 yrs ago, after Christmas, I went to KMart and got 75% off a Martha Stewart pre-lit. Paid $20. for the tree! lol. It's 7 ft, beautiful and takes 4 minutes from start to finish to assemble. It's the BEST TREE EVER!

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  4. We are practical (and cheap) so we have a fake tree. We now have 6 fake trees, although only 5 of them are up...but we paid for it once and get to use it for as long as it lasts. (many years) It just doesn't make sense to me to spend all that money for something you use for like a month/two max. And then you have to buy another one next year? Nope...not in this house! One year we might get a small real tree, just to say we at least had one, but i'm lazy and love my pre-lit and fiber-optic trees. ♥

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  5. I stumbled onto your blog, and find it good reading........
    As for my tree.....it's artificial, and i miss the real tree smell, but not the mess. Our choice was more driven because our son is so allergic to the the real trees in homes....so I gave it up, and I burn candles.
    Our tree isn't even pre-lit, we bought it just before the big craze....ugh!

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  6. Pretty tree you have there. Mine is real, but I really want an artificial one next year.

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  7. We have always had artificial trees even when I was a kid. I want a real tree but we just have never gotten one! Maybe next year we will get out and get a real one!!!

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  8. I have a fake pre-lit Christmas tree. I am way to lazy (and cheap) to buy a new tree every year!

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  9. We've got fake! I like it!

    Yay for Poetry Friday!

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  10. I NEVER had a real tree as a kid so as soon as I lived on my own I bought a real tree. It was bueatiful, realitively inexpensive (from the local grocery store), and smelled wonderful. It also was a pain, and dried out way too quickly. In the 9 years I have lived on my own I have done probably 4 years of real trees and 5 years of fake. This is our third year of fake tree in a row and while the simplicity of it is wonderful I think I am ready for another real tree again next year.

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  11. Mine is fake, yep a pre-lit fake one. And just like you, it's because I am too lazy to string those lights!

    I've got you entered for the giveaway now, good luck!

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  12. We have a pre-let artificial one above our front door looking out as part of our outside decorations. We also get a real tree to decorate. I grew up with an artificial one since my dad is allergic, but my hubby insists on a real one. So, we double dip on this issue!

    Merry CHRISTmas!<><

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  13. Don't hate me but I just tagged you!!

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  14. My dad tried the real tree a couple of times when I was younger, but all my life, aside from those two times, I've been an artifical tree kinda gal. I'm like you, I like the no-hassel, perfect shaped, lights already hung (I have a pre-lit one, too) Christmas tree. Wouldn't have it any other way!! =)

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  15. Fake! I do buy a real wreath for the door though!

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  16. well I like real for the smell and didn't know that some held such strong opinions.

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  17. It is crazy how everything is an issue. I have fake just because I can't stand real trees in the house. The smell bothers my allergies.

    Thanks for the well wishes to my daughter!

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  18. I've had a fake tree for twenty plus years. I love it. I feel like I've saved tons of pine trees, and I'm with you in that I'm lazy and it's too hard to go buy a new tree every year, plus it gets expensive. This fake tree I have has really paid for itself.

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  19. We have a real tree, we got a douglas pine this year and guess what, no loose needles I love it. Hubby waters it and I just get to enjoy it.

    Our local council recycles the trees by turning them into garden mulch so I dont feel so guilty.

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  20. Fake! I have a small paranoia of my house burning down because of a real tree drying out and the lights getting too hot and catching it on fire. I know, I know I have issues! LOL!

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  21. We are die-hard-real-tree people. I love the way it smells. And I enjoy the ritual of going to pick one out - even if it is only at the local home improvement store! On an environmental note, we haul all of the family trees out to the ranch and throw them in the largest tank to make habitat for feeder fish. The bottom of that thing is a small forest!

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  22. oh pleeeeease don't get me going...i spend hrs. in a line at 5am 4 degree temperatures waiting for a tag for a live tree that won.t stand up in the stand when i do get it eventually...for what? the smell my daughter says for the tradition of going without a truck at the top of our my mountain that embarasses them says my boys, because we must hitch a ride back down because we don't have a truck

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  23. Good blog. To be honest I never thought about it either. We do real trees, because I love the smell and look of them. However, I have had a fake tree before.

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  24. Real! I love the smell and love picking it out!

    You've been awarded the Fabulous Award! Come pick it up at Jolly Mom :)

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  25. I have a fake tree. I just don't want to mess around with the needles. But I do love the smell of fresh pine - burning a scented candle takes care of that! LOL

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  26. I love the smell of a real tree, BUT because I realllly like to decorate either right at or right before Thanksgiving, We go with fake. Also, we got a really nice pre lite one 75% off the day after Christmas last year, so that beat all! :)

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  27. Awww...that poem made me sad for my tree. Which is also flocked with humiliation. We had a fake tree for years until we went for a real one a few years ago and haven't looked back. I'm glad to have given the money to my community...but sorry for the tree at the same time. Kind of a lose lose situation, isn't it?
    Merry Christmas anyway! :)

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  28. Oh, and Hubby chops it up for firewood afterwards, so it's used as much as possible!

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  29. Real real real!!! But I'm sure I'll be a fakey someday. I just have to get the real ones out of my system first!

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Thanks for commenting!