Christmas Trees...Real or Imitation?

[im2fst4u]

Just wondering what people are planning on using/buying this year?

Real or imitation and what are you willing to spend?

If buying or using a imitation tree is it due to environment issues?

[Mitsu3000gt]

I think a good imitation tree is only a few hundred $. You pay more for size, and density of the branches. Its extremely convenient, doesn't leave a giant mess of pine needles everywhere, no disposal hassle after, and it always looks perfect. The only disadvantage I can think of is that you need to store it for 11 months of the year. The reason we got one was that our cat was actually allergic to something in the real trees haha, but after we got an artifical it was pretty clear that it was the way to go.

If you don't mind all the hassle/cleanup and you just love that real-tree smell or something thats about the only reason I can think of to go real.

[masoncgy]

Fake trees are where it's at... unless you live out in the mountains or in the forest where you can just wander a bit and cut down a nice fresh tree, it makes no sense to buy those crappy trees from the lots in the city.

Plus... no mess... and a fake tree always looks perfect!

[ekguy]

I refuse to use fake trees. Part of christmas for me is smelling that nice fresh pine smell for the little while we have a real tree.

Where I live now we use a fake tree and i hate it. Can't wait to be living on my own in NB again so I can use a nice, fresh real tree.

[im2fst4u]

Originally posted by ekguy
Part of christmas for me is smelling that nice fresh pine smell for the little while we have a real tree.

This is my way of thinking but my wife is trying to convince me of an imitation tree. ($800.00 plus tax at Golden Acres)

I remember as a kid coming home from school and smelling the pine scent......Christmas will not be the same without that familiar scent.....hopefully I can convince her to go with a real tree this year!

[masoncgy]

^^ lol... most people actually buy various Fir/Spruce breeds to use for Christmas trees since they are fuller and have a deeper color.

Pine actually make pretty crappy Christmas trees... with those long needles and sparse branches.

[Sasuke_Kensai]

Originally posted by ekguy
I refuse to use fake trees. Part of christmas for me is smelling that nice fresh pine smell for the little while we have a real tree.

Plus, I actually like the pine needles, makes it seem more... organic? lol

Also, firewood afterwards!

[silver03gt]

I voted for fake only for the convenience, and its what I use right now. Easy to set up, and no major clean-up, but there's nothing better than the real thing. I miss the days before I moved to Calgary, when every year in BC my grandpa and I would go out into the bush to find one. Now I can't bring myself to get a real tree from a grocery store that is bundled up and is not fresh-from-the-forest.

[masoncgy]

^ We used to do the same thing... growing up in Northern BC, there was no shortage of decent trees within a short driving distance...

hahaha... sometimes we were bad and we'd drive up to a reforested block and chop down new growth... like 10-15 years old or whatever... perfect size, shape & color!

[ekguy]

There are places in New Brunswick where you go and pick your tree and they tag it with your name and then note where on their land it is and then come christmas time you go out there and cut it yourself and bring it home. Nice and fresh.

[scat19]

I've never gone and cut one myself, that would be a pretty interesting experience.

I voted fake - I have a 9" white one with 16 lights on it.

[Tik-Tok]

I used to be one of the "Real tree or GTFO" kind of people, but honestly, after finding a fake one that is half decently realistic, I don't want to go back...

SOO much fucking mess with a real one. Maybe if I had a nice double doors in my living room, I'd probably go back, but trying to drag a dying decaying tree out of my house right now, after xmas Sap and needles EVERYWHERE.

[jonnycat]

I was forced to use a fake tree. Wife doesn't see the point of cutting down a tree. In Hinton, we'd go 4x4ing into the bush, then wading through waist deep snow hunting for a tree. Best Saturday of the year for a kid. We'd also tie ropes to our GT sleds and my dad would tow us around the trunk roads.

[ExtraSlow]

You can do the cut-your-own thing up near sundre. It's a nice expereince with kiddies, but I'm 100% a fake tree guy now.
Less mess, less hassle.
Only downside is storage for 11 months ever year.