Real tree or not, does it depend on your childhood?

We always had a real tree, which we children decorated on Christmas Eve (it kept us out of the way while Mum did the Christmas cooking). I did the same thing with my children.

I've never had an artificial tree. My real tree goes up on Christmas eve and comes down on 12th night. I'd have a tree even if I didn't do any other decorating. I don't mind the 'mess and bother' at all.

It is cut up, bagged up and burnt a year later when dried. (should never burn fresh wood on a fire or a log burner).

We always had a real tree when I was little. It seemed big at the time but must have been quite small really, as it stood in the hall and I could look down on it as I walked down the stairs. When we got older, Mum and Dad bought a white and silver artificial tree, and we had an artificial one too for the first years of our marriage.

We started having real trees for our younger daughter, because she loves them so much. Now we have one for the grandkids. I have to admit that they are much more beautiful. DH grumbles every year about buying one, particularly as he bought another artificial one several years ago and I won't use it. (Well, I did tell him to take it back.) DH comes from a Hindu family and, obviously, doesn't have childhood memories of Christmas. We've celebrated Christmas together for 45 years now, so he knows the drill. He still doesn't really get "the magic of Christmas", though.

No grumbling this year, anyway, as we are not bothering with a tree. Doesn't seem worth the effort, without the family here.

As a child we always had a real tree and a fresh turkey. I also have real tree and fresh turkey. It would not be Xmas for Mr with an artificial tree or a frozen turkey.

When I was a kid we always had a real tree, it stood on the floor in the corner of the lounge and always needed the top cut off. We always had multicoloured lights that took an age to untangle and get working.
As an adult we've always had artificial trees and white lights. I like the smell and look of real trees but not the mess and I've always had pets so easier to avoid the real thing and potential problems with needles etc. We've had our fake one since 1980 and it's quite realistic looking and clearly good value for money, although these days I can't be bothered with decorating it and then packing it all away again a week later.
I can't see what we had as kids has influenced my decision to have a fake one in any way at all. My sister always has a real one and she grew up in the same household.

I'm not sure that is true. We have had our tree since before DS5 was born he's 24. I won't ever buy another.

I don’t get the tears over real trees. Real trees are farmed especially for the purpose, often on land that’s not much use for other agricultural purposes. They absorb carbon dioxide while growing, so help the environment. Bought locally and planted in the garden for next year, or recycled afterwards for mulch or wildlife habitats, they’re a better alternative to a plastic tree shipped over from China. I’ve heard there are people who bin their fake trees regularly to buy the latest trendy colour or shape. Now that’s something to cry about, imho.

DH grew up with real tree decorated on Christmas Eve.

I grew up with artificial. It must have been quite small too because it stood on the sideboard. No fairy lights just glass baubles. I remember various wire and tinsel trees growing up through the 60s and persuading mum to buy fairy lights.

Once we were married we had a real tree for the first 5 or 6 years but we then switched to plastic. The main reason was cost. Real trees were expensive and we had a growing family and not much cash.

I like the idea of a real tree but can't be bothered with the mess and the cost. I think I will put a tree up but as the DGC aren't coming here this year I certainly won't be going over board with decorating the house.

When I was a child our dog got a pine needle stuck in her eye! After that we had an artificial tree.
Years ago the the artificial trees were pretty awful, one time my dad brought home a silver one.
I now have a very realistic tree that is pre-lit so no faffing sorting out tangled lights!
Well I like it anyway

We lived on a market garden who were wholesalers for Christmas trees . DF used to be away several times a week travelling to Wales and Devon to haul them back. Field behind our house used to be covered with cut trees from November onwards. So I never really thought artificial ones were what I wanted. Although we have had one some years for various reasons, only real ones bring the right ambiance imho.

MawBe, my mother was a Dane, so we had real trees. She managed to persuade Cahsmere's the big grocer in Paisley to order one for her every year.

Real candles too, bought in Denmark and sent by post by my grandmother.

We combined them with fairy lights on the lower branches - the candles were on the upper ones. My parents thought that safer with small children, plus dogs and cats.

I still buy a real tree. I would rather do without one than have an artificial one, I think.

But anno domini is creeping up on me, so I may change my mind next year!

Always had a fake tree. I used to feel really sad as a child when I saw them discarded by the bin.
Much better these days, our local park puts them through the mulcher to make bark.

I was born in 1953, and we always had an artificial tree, with electric lights in various shapes...pine cones, fir cones, a meerschaum pipe, a chimney pot and others. My dear dad's birthday was on 10th December, and decorations never went up until after that date. Christmas couldn't possibly begin until Dad had had his annual wrestling session with the lights, because they always blew at least one bulb, and if one blew, they all went out. Paper trimmings on the ceilings and walls, school-made snowmen and santas and an open coal fire. Health and safety be blowed! Happy times.

Always real when we were young. Then we moved artificial-those with led lights built in. Now we add lights to the tree outside and have a realistic little one inside. It always made me laugh when we sang The Christmas Tree Feud at our Christmas concert. Have a listen-or even sing along, whichever sort of tree you prefer.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=CoqNDGvQrZU

Oh Sazzl that was lovely of you.

We were fairly hard up when I was a child and I've told this story before. We made a tree out of dowelling and pipe cleaners covered with green crepe paper and a box with red. All the branches tapered into a tree shape then Mum produced sparkly multi-coloured baubles not much bigger than your average marble and, most thrilling of all a tinsel covered star for the top. It went on top of the telly and was brought out in subsequent years as we loved it even though we could then afford a real tree. I can still see it in my mind's eye.

It's artificial for me. I keep it in a large bag and chuck it into the under stairs cupboard still decorated as it saves time. I'd rather do other things such as reading, sewing and knitting.

I am afraid I have no choice, I am totally allergic to pine trees. When I have a real tree in the house over xmas I spend the whole of the festive season sneezing and with red eyes. Luckily artificial trees have got better over the years

Grew up in Scotland in 50s and we had an artificial tree. I didn’t know anyone who had a real tree. When I left home I was determined to have a real tree which we did but have now reverted to artificial. I still love real trees though.

Maggiemaybe

sazz1

First tree I bought was when I was 16. Went home and younger siblings were crying as mum had no money for a tree. So walked 2miles to the jewellery shop and sold an eternity ring an ex BF had given me for 30 shillings and bought a Xmas tree from the greengrocers on the way back for the same price. We all made paper lanterns coloured with crayons to decorate it. Were a v poor family in those days but sibling were so happy with it.

What a lovely post, sazz1.

What a beautiful story.

We always had a real one but, like for others on here, I don't think fake ones were a 'thing'. When they did come in, my mother deemed them "common" (along with SO many other things!). We have a real one but mostly because I love the smell of them.

I had to Google it as I was sure we always had an artificial one from 1946. It's here damblys.com/index.php/2017/11/13/history-artificial-trees/
We had the toilet brush one. I never realised what it looked llike at the time but now I can see it! Faithfully stored away every year with the cotton wool for a snow scene and the ornaments. Don't think we got lights until 1970s.
I always have a real one. When I threatened to go artificial a few years ago DS went out and bought a real tree for me.

so this week I gathered up all the brand new stuff I bought and sent it all to the tip
Oh Harmonypuss, why the Tip? (I hope that the Tip staff were thoughtful enough to pass it all on to someone who can use it.)

We only ever had an artificial tree when I was a child in the 1940s and 50s. It was kept in the loft and brought out each year. Its wire branches were pulled back into shape, getting ever more tatty year by year. We had real candles on it and one year it caught fire. My father grabbed the whole tree and rushed out into the garden with it. Miraculously he didn't set fire to anything else on his way out. The following year another artificial tree took its place, complete with real candles - but they were never lit.
My DH's family always had a real tree and we have had real trees ever since we married. Choosing the tree was a much-loved tradition involving an outing to a local forest with our DDs and they have continued the tradition with their families. DH and I still buy a "real tree", but as we no longer host Christmas it's a tiny version - more of a large pot plant.

Growing up and then when I got married we always had a fake tree; but, the first year my son came home from college for the Christmas holiday, we bought a real one to do something special for his homecoming. As we were decorating it, I just cried and cried because I felt sorry that we had killed a tree. So, it is always artificial trees for me. However, someday, I may venture into buying a real one that I can plant in the yard.

We had a real tree when I was small. Once we got an artificial on my mother preferred it as it was easier. I continued that when married.
My second husband insisted on a real tree, which did look and smell nice. Once he died, as I don't drive, it became increasingly difficult to try to get a real tree and now back with artificial which is much easier and cheaper. The modern artificial trees are much nicer than they used to be.

I love the smell of a real tree (always have) but like one with roots to go in the garden afterwards

Grew up with a nasty green tinsel 'thing'. Had a few real ones over the years but I disagree with cut ones, always had rooted ones that could be planted after the holidays.
I've not put any decs up at all for the past 10 or 12yrs but decided I would bite the bullet and actually do something this year, so I bought a fake tree, they are so much more realistic these days.
Now I've been told that my OH and my sons won't even be in my county (by choice) throughout December, never mind at my home, so this week I gathered up all the brand new stuff I bought and sent it all to the tip.
Why should I go to all that trouble for nothing? It's one day, no different to the other 365 we'll have had this year (yes, it's a leap year, so 365 not 364).