Why did no-one tell me?

I know we had a real tree when I was very young, but don't really remember that far back. All my memories are of artificial trees. This is what we've always had since we got married too. The one we have is very realistic, we bought it in the January sale about 15 yrs ago I'm at £65

I know what you mean about having to economise though. We're not having turkey this year as there's just 3 of us. But the leg of lamb I bought is the same price as the frozen turkeys I saw in Asda.

I am gobsmacked at the price of your tree!kittylester I haven't been out for ours yet, but am glad I am planning a small one to stand in a bay window (ever snce the incident with the greyhound who took our floor to ceiling tree as indoor plumbing) I can actually remember buying one for 17/6 for our first Christmas after we married. The price of fresh turkeys is a bit prohibitive too, I am just going to write the cheque at the butchers and run, hoping my pension will have been paid in before the cheque clears.

kitty - that price is astounding. Haven't been to buy mine yet but I shall be prepared now! I've tried artificial ones in the past but I do love a "proper" tree but with one year old DGS and newly arrived rescue dog I wonder if a tree is a good idea

kittythat is some price for a tree! I haven't bought a real one for years. I think my little fake tree came from (where else?) Lakeland years ago. It's a convincing shape and looks pretty with its new starry lights. Youngest GS approved anyway so it must be OK.

kitty I bet the owner of the shop or garden centre is going to enjoy his turkey this year in abundance with prices like that. We had a real tree which we planted in front garden over 25yrs ago and when we passed our old property I was pleased to see it still decorated in similar style as I used to do it,we have had an artificial tree since we came back from Spain and it looks very realistic and it only cost about £30.00 complete with frosting on the tips of the branches so I think that will see us through the next few years.Tip for ninathenana a large turkey crown is £18.00 at Morrisons and would calve a lot better than a leg of lamb (just a bit of info for you )

Our tree came back out today. It`s a fibre optic, because a few years ago hubby got fed up with finding lights not working, but it`s about the 3rd or 4th that we`ve had, but this one, which cost about £75 2 years ago, will, I think, and hope, have to be our last, especially if prices continue to rise.

My (artificial) tree cost a tenner 6 years ago from Tesco, and it's still going strong.

Husband went into the forest yesterday and picked out his own tree which the chap then cut down for him. Price? £2 per foot. I think that's pretty good value. Daughter bought an enormous tree elsewhere and paid £75!

I'm horrified at the price of real trees so we bought a lovely fibre optic one in B &Q 4ft for £25 last week - its should do for a few years (we have a small living room and anything bigger would dwarf us. We are alone Xmas Day and are having a roast three bird thingy from M & S I admit dear at £40 but we agreed on a bit of spoling as we having a lovely peaceful day at home.

Our artificial Christmas tree has done us proud. It must be 30 years old! I didn't put it up last year as we weren't seeing the family until after Christmas. I got such a telling off that it is out again this year along with the Nativity scene made by DS when he was 10 and the mobile we all made together 40 years ago.

I bought a fibre optic tree at a garden centre, it was used twice and then it self-destructed. My artificial tree is good but it was very expensive but now the real trees seem to be reaching the same price.

I bought a real tree at the weekend – 7 feet high, cost £19. It's not a perfect shape but will look fine once it's decorated. Locally, the more perfectly shaped trees cost £45–£55. I am really unenthusiastic about turkey although I cooked one (along with gammon and other things) for Christmas lunch for my extended family for many years. This year, as there will be only a few guests rather than about 20, we're having goose – a shocking extravagance but a real treat.

Absentgrana, I`ve never had goose, but am reluctant to lay out the money for one in case we don`t like it, I know for a fact that none of us likes duck, if it`s anything like that.
My MIL, bless her, used to leave her artificial tree intact with all the baubles, etc, cover it with a large plastic bag, and put it away in the loft like that, then come the following Christmas she only had to take the cover off! She must have done that for many years, because it started well before I met hubby, in 1962, and continued until her last Christmas on this earth in 1999.

Goose is delicious but can't persuade my family to deviate from the same menu we have every year - they like the tradition of it, and insist on starting with prawn cocktail and having exactly the same turkey and trimmings. I think I might do a smaller turkey and introduce a goose as well next year, just to see what happens - have already ordered a big turkey so too late this year.

Just got our 7' tree at the Forestry Commission for £40 which seems a lot to me, but Mr.G insisted..
We're having a turkey this year - first time for years so I can have it cold the next day - not too keen on it hot. Mr. G likes goose, D1 likes turkey, D2 likes ham and D3 likes beef - what is a girl to do?? Last year we had a very expensive rib of beef from a local farm and it was awful - tough as old boots and I was too lily-livered to complain as I know them quite well and didn't want to kick up a stink. I'd be happy with anything fishy but it doesn't seem to be entering into the spirit of Christmas somehow. Whatever we have, I am usually too over it to eat anything by then and just stick to the liquid refreshmnent

Ah well, we are doing a "circuit" of our children; DD, DGD and I are vegetarian, so the meat bit doesn't matter. - just glad I am not, as I did for many years, having to cook turkey etc. The rest of my family are all carnivores so DH will get his fix of real meat. I'm just providing the drink. I'm good at that!

We always used to have a real tree, and I am incredibly fussy about it! (I used to get my ex dh to cut branches of the back and wire them on to the front to get the perfect shape, sad but true)

Then one year current dh and I were going away for Christmas, and it didn't seem worth getting a real tree, so we found a "branch", actually more like a small tree, around 5ft tall, 3 to 4 feet across. Sprayed it white, bought a silver aluminium bucket in an ironmongers, wedged it in with stones. Add fairy lights and baubles, looks great. Thereafter we alternated between the branch and a real tree.

Then three years ago I lashed out £90 for a 7ft artificial tree, which we have used since. However this year we have decided to go back to the branch for a change.

And that, Constable is why we are currently driving around with a saw on the back seat of the car.

Phoenix that made me laugh!

phoenix

I do branches, too Annobel - sprayed mine gold last year.

I think you mean Phoenix, Butter, but if you like I'll go out in the garden tomorrow and chop off a branch. I have some glitter spray somewhere!

Do you have turkey rolls there? My daughter likes a smidge of "tradition" so we usually buy one of the frozen ones that's all boned out and seasoned. They're yummy and juicy and much less hassle than trying to wedge a dead pterodactyl into the oven! Turkeys are expensive here but if I get to the supermarket in the days after xmas they usually have heaps of the drumsticks and wings out on special so the dogs get spoiled! I think last year I was paying about AUD$1.50 (1GBP) for a pack of 4 drumsticks or 8 wings where they're usually AUD$8 or so a pack!

Ooops! I did think the coincidences were stacking up a bit, Annobel

Just to add, I mean a branch of an ordinary tree, not a branch of a Christmas tree! We do not drive around with the intention of maiming what migt become other peoples Christmas trees.

Still doesn't look right, just hope you all know what we mean.

PS, I suppose the fact that it is just an ordinary handsaw, and not a chainsaw might count in our favour?