To fake tree, or not to fake tree, that is the Christmas question

I cut a branch off my yew tree.

I have to admit that I have a fake tree – and it’s teeny tiny. My flat’s quite small so that’s the main reason, but I’m also usually away for Christmas so it seems a bit pointless buying a tree that’s just going to drop all its needles and leave me with a mess to clean up in the new year.

I love the smell of a real tree, my Dad always gets a real one and it gives his house a real Christmassy smell and feel. I don’t think they’re vital, though – I can get a similar Christmassy smell by mulling some wine!

I go to stay with family from before Christmas to after New Year. They always have a proper tree. I just put up an artificial tree with lights on a timer to make the house look occupied when I’m away.

One should NEVER feel guilty about having an artificial Christmas tree, that’s my opinion !

Having a living tree inside a hot dry home is nothing other than an act of cruelty.
I invested in a good quality artificial tree a few years ago. You can hardly tell it’s a ‘fake’ it is so well made. Why spend £40 or more plus an extra trip every year just to get the real thing ?
If you want the smell of a real tree then you can buy a pine oil spray. It’s that simple !

The last living tree we had was a Nordic Spruce purchased in December 2000.
It survived well for two Christmas holidays before we planted it out.
Twelve years on, the tree is in great shape.
It now stands at an impressive height of 20 feet in our back garden !

While I would love to have a real tree, I find they are so expensive. At our local farm, every year the price has increased and last year, I refused to pay their prices. I would have had to pay at least £40 for a small tree and around £60 for a decent sized one. It seems rather a waste of money for something that will only last a few weeks. I’d prefer to spend the money on my family and use an artifical one which has been in the family for years and looks lovely.

Although I agree with all the positive comments about real Christmas Trees we twigged a couple of years ago that my husband is allergic to the mould spores that are produced in rapidly increasing numbers once a tree is cut and inside. He always had a reaction to any scratches whilst setting up the tree but we never made the connection with these and a cold and feeling unwell every Christmas holiday until I read a newspaper article. He has been fine for the last 2 years since we bought an artificial tree. So if someone in your family is ill every year might be worth doing a scratch test.

22 years ago we bought a potted 2 foot real Christmas tree when our son was born. It has been re-potted, fed and kept in the garden to be brought out every Christmas. It is mis-shapen but has great character and also looks great when decorated. Throughout his teenage years he complained bitterly about it and said we should get a plastic one. Recently, to test the water, I said were were going to get a plastic one. He objected strongly saying it was HIS tree and therefore we couldn’t throw it out!!! Of course we shall continue to care for it and no doubt he will inflict it on his children!

I too was expecting information. Having clicked on the link in the email, in the section where it said “what are the merits of real versus fake trees? We’ve put together the pros and cons of different trees, including their prices, in our expert guide” I was expecting the expert guide!

We’ve gone fake for the first time this year!
Totally unexpectedly as well, my children have always loved going to buy the tree every year and so I was amazed when they saw a fake tree at Costco and decide that they would like this one.
The fake 7.5′ tree, with built in lights, cost over £280 so I’m hoping that we’ll have it for years to come now.
Our real tree used to cost £10 a foot and we usually ended up with a 7′ tree.
We haven’t taken it out of the box yet, but I guess I can always put it on Ebay if it’s not right for us.

I used to spend days looking for wonderfully shaped and lovely smelling real Christmas trees. However, since having cream carpets and a pet I have opted for artificial trees and although not quite as good to look at as the real thing they are so practical and save both time and a small fortune despite the initial expense. I still fill vases with long pinned real pine branches and I have to admit to previously always having felt guilty about killing off a whole tree each year.

The use of ‘fake’ to describe artificial trees is highly tendentious.
Now retired, I have amongst other things been involved in the growing and selling of hundreds of thousands of British grown Christmas trees – they are the most profitable tree crop (I am not sure about including fruit trees in that statement) .
I cannot see any environmental benefits to growing Christmas trees in ecological or other ways. In carbon terms by the time you plant them, tend them over five or six years, harvest them, get people to come and collect them, dispose of them, then it could well be that they generate more carbon than an artificial tree kept for a few years.
As for me I bought an excellent artificial tree five years ago at a post Christmas sale, saved myself money and gained convenience. A non forester could hardly tell from a couple of metres or so that it is artificial. The only ‘con’ is that though the artificial tree takes down into separate parts it still takes storage space and it takes me about an hour to set up each Christmas. A pro, to some, might be that the land made available fron not planting Christmas trees can be used to grow our native broadleaves
Best wishes, John

Two years ago I came out in a rash after decorating the real christmas tree. We have had a real Christmas tree ever since we were married getting on for fifty years. I love real Christmas trees, they smell so nice. However the rash was unpleasant. So now we have bought an artificial one.
Best wishes
Margaret

B, the trees were bought from Ellesborough in Buckinghamshire – in the village hall grounds during December. Don’t tell all your friends though until I’ve been there for mine. Incidentally, the Forestry Commission just down the road sell trees, but at a much higher price.

I don’t think a Christmas tree would produce very good compost – best chipped as a mulch. Growing Christmas trees for cutting will be good anyway – they will absorb CO2 and produce oxygen, and are replaced each year . Producing plastic trees uses up oil resources – not so good.

Bad news – our local £10-a-tree seller hasn’t turned up this year. Good news – bought the last two trees from another local supplier – 7 foot tall £15 each. One for the lounge, one outside the door. Still like real trees.
Happy Christmas.