Guest Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Which do you prefer? We normally get a real one (usually a cut one), but last year we got a pot grown tree. It looked beautiful in the house, and even though it took a turn for the worse when we planted it in the garden, it has now perked up sufficiently to deserve some lights thrown on it to brighten up the front of the house this year. I was just going to get another pot grown one this year, but saw a really nice fake one when out yesterday, and now I can't decide which to get. Would Christmas be the same without the smell of a real, fresh tree??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 We used to buy a real tree every year but I'm a real tree hugger and couldn't bear to see it die at the end of the festive period so we invested in a very good fake instead which we've used for the last 6-7 years and it still looks fab and really realistic. We have 2 trees - one small one in the dining room with pink, copper and burgundy decorations on and the big one in the sitting room which has red, orange and gold decorations on plus a big swag of greenery around the fireplace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 It has to be real you can't beat the smell and I think they always look good they do cost a fortune though, and last year ours cost £35 from Delmere forest............The cat love the christmas tree as well and always knocks it over at least once trying to get the baubles off to play football with .............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 I always felt guilty about having real trees and treating them as disposable, so I bought pot grown trees but still managed to kill them. I think the trees are treated as a crop by the growers so not really any different to buying the sprouts to go with the dinner and we're not supposed to feel guilty about them. I still felt guilty so three years ago I bought a really good, fake tree. It will last forever. I hang fresh greenery in the house so I still get the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The O'Neill Family Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 real trees make such a mess, but the smell is georgous i think for us though its fake all the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Real all the way for me. They're grown as a crop, so I don't feel guilty about it dying at the end of Christmas. A few years ago we invested in a shredder, it's only a little, not very powerful one, but will still make fairly short work of a tree if we chop iit into smallish pieces first, so it's recycled into the garden, maybe into an eglu run this year I will only but British trees, ideally locally grown, so I'm supporting British farmers. Artificial trees don't smell as good, I agree that these days they look a lot better than the used to, and they do last for years, but ultimately they're not yet biodegradable or recyclable, and all the ones I've looked at are made in Taiwan or somewhere like. So, for all those reasons, but mainly because of the smell and the .... well.... real-ness of a living tree it has to be real Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 we have fake trees, so they dont get intesively grown then cut down just for a month and then die. its horrible. fake all the way. tree are speical and desrve more. it is a nice thought to have a real one, but not practical for the enviroment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 (edited) we have fake trees, so they dont get intesively grown then cut down just for a month and then die. its horrible. fake all the way. tree are speical and desrve more. it is a nice thought to have a real one, but not practical for the enviroment That's just how I feel Fleata. I love trees and don't want one to die just for me. I'd much rather see them living in the woods. I hope my tree will still be looking good in years to come and no real tree has been felled for my celebrations. Edited November 20, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 its nice too find like minded people,who take the environment seriously, thanks kate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Just come back from a walk in the woods so I'm feeling particularly tree friendly today . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 that sounds refreshing Kate, im baking gluten free apple crumble at the mo. fancy some nice and cold out there today, i bet your walk was really envigorating. by the wat Shiera now had laid three eggs i'm so proud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 That sounds lovely - yes please !! Fantastic walk thanks. Cold and refreshing and Rutland Water looked beautiful in the sun too. I love the woods best though - I'm only happy after hugging a tree . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Congratulations Sheira!! Aren't they wonderful creatures! Nothing as nice as a hen . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 We always buy a real Nordman Fir, which have lovely soft feely needles.....the sort you just have to touch! Up until a couple of years ago we bought ones with roots, & planted them out after Christmas, but we have far too many in the garden now & some are just MASSIVE, so we are getting cut now, & they don't really seem to suffer from needle drop to much A guy comes around & collects & shreds them, then it is used for compost, so I don't feel too guilty about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 We have a very realistic looking fake tree, complete with fir cones. The original colour theme was red and green but over the years my children have decorated the tree with ornaments made at playschool and school. Now the theme is red and green with lots of egg box bells, pipe cleaner angels and brown paper Reindeer with red tissue paper noses and twig antlers. I treasure these special decorations even if my festive tree looks a complete mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 From the environmental perspective, it's an interesting comparison. What is the environmental cost of producing a fake Christmas tree - packaging / plastics / pollution / CO2 / fuel for transporting from China to UK etc and then disposing of it at the end of it's useful life? Compared to a real tree - grown with the intention of being a Christmas tree, possibly grown locally, and once it's fulfilled it's purpose it's completely bio-degradable. I agree that it is a shame to cut down a tree though. Perhaps the ideal is to buy a small, rooted tree and try and keep it alive for a number of years to re-use at Christmas. I haven't tried this yet, but I will this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 I used to work in a clothes shop when I was at Uni (over ten years ago now) and they changed their christmas shop front every year - one year they had a fantastic display with really smart chrsitmas swags and two short narrow fake trees on cast iron stands with cast iron centres - really built to last - BUT, ironically, once the christmas sales were over we were expected to just throw them out Sooo wasteful Obviously I piled it all into my car and OH and I have used them to decorate our house ever since The trees still look fantastic - we put one either side of our inglenook fireplace and put the swags over the doorways . I do have some shop bought decs but I also make some myself and I always make a christmas wreath for the front door - I love making it - or rather collecting for it - going round the garden and up the lane to find nice twigs and sprigs of holly and ivy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleata Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 that sounds really lovely and festive red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 REAL ... love the smell/feel/the whole ensemble of it. Then we donate money to the local hospice, who have guys that come and collect and recycle the tress from your home ... so a bit of good at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 its nice too find like minded people,who take the environment seriously, thanks kate. we always have a real tree at christmas time. I wouldn't say we didn't take the environment seriously with buying real, that was a bit of a silly thing to say! At the end of it, all those extra trees being grown over the year for christmas has probably filtered an extra couple of hundred tonnes of carbon dioxide in the process, which is pretty vital for this earth at the moment. There is no pollution made in growing a tree, or cutting it down (apart from the chainsaw) and like grd said, comparing it with the extremley pollutant and wasteful production of the plastic version, shipping it from the other side of the world etc, not forgetting the labourer who put it together who was paid next to nothing, i would say having a real tree is a lot more economical. Anyway, on a better note, not long untill christmas now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 Don't worry - I'm sure there was no intention of being judgmental - I can see both sides of the argument and it may be that some people haven't thought about the other side until they read it here - so the debate is healthy I'm sure (Red adopts her "Red the Peacemaker" pose ) If I had a big house I'd have my fakes by the fire and a real tree with a big fat fairy on top. Woooaaahhh - Sorry just fell off my fence!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 (edited) I have to admit that I agree with you Katie. I think in all honesty that the environmental pros & cons must be a pretty close run thing as suggested by grd in an earlier post, but I buy real trees, I love 'em. They cost more when taken year on year as a good fake comes in at well under £100, whilst a good real tree is at least £30, so give it 3 years and the fake has earnt it's keep. But, environmentally they're a crop, they're doing the tree bit of filtering CO2, and crucially, they wouldn't be grown if it wasn't for the Christmas tree market, just like your turkeys and brussels sprouts. Fake trees are plastic, that's petro-chemicals ie, non-sustainable resources and not recyclable. My christmas tree is shredded, by me for use in my garden, but my council will do it to if I get it down to their recycling centre before the end of Jan. I resent the suggestion that I don't care for the environment because I choose a real tree, I have made a considered choice, and genuinely believe that a real tree is the better option for me from all angles. I do agree a pot-grown tree that can be planted in the garden after is the best option, but it's not as if they can be dug up and brought back in again another year because they keep on growing. My NDN's have 6 of the things in their garden now, and they're huge . Firs are not native to the UK, I'd feel differently about an oak or a sycamore, or a sweet chestnut, and so on, but these firs probably wouldn't be grown in this country if it wasn't for Christmas. I have a lovely ancient woodland right behind my home, I walk in it and enjoy the trees on a very regular basis. We all of us have different opinions, I'm not sure what is right overall, not sure that anyone does, but please don't criticise those who have made considered decisions, just because those decisions actually differ from yours. Quick edit, I'm not actually having a tree at all this year, not spending a lot of time at home this Christmas so we shan't be bothering at all, but nonetheless, my pro real tree stance stands Edited November 20, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 I know. Two sides and all that and yes, the plastic trees have to be manufactured but I still can't bear to have a tree die just for me. I'm the same with flowers - I won't have real flowers in the house either (saves LSH shelling out ) because it's so sad when they die. They look so much better out in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 I have no strong feelings about fake v real, but we always have a real tree. I think that if it is recycled with a bit of thought afterwards, then why not really. A real tree makes me & the children happy.It makes it Christmas. The girls go & pick it out from the tree farm down the road,so it is locally produced & bought too. Then they turn it into compost or mulch which we can buy at a cheap rate later in the year& use in the garden. This arrangement works for us, & we will continue doing this for the foreseeable. In fact,we donated our fake tree to the Hospital in town a couple of years ago,as my sister is a nurse there, & they really appreciated it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunkin Posted November 20, 2005 Share Posted November 20, 2005 I love having a real tree and will be buying one this year. It's been really interesting reading everyone's views so far, so thanks to everyone for speaking out and making me think. I (try to) discourage the children from buying plastics and bringing them in to the house and don't feel too bad buying a tree from a local farm and taking it to the council's composting point in January. A few of us in the street get together and use one car for the trip too to try and minimse fuel use. I have tried rooted trees in the past but they always seem to die on me One thing that does bug me though is those huge inflatables and excessive Christmas lights on the outside of houses - do you think all those people are using green electricity tarifs?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
