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

My Dad bought a real tree for Mum and she just sat in front of it and cried. She was what would now be called a ‘ tree hugger’ and, in later life, campaigned to stop woodlands from being destroyed. So.... artificial tree for me always. ?

Some lovely stories here! Especially sazzl's. Now I am a widow I really only want a little tree, and there are artificial ones from other Christmases in the garage which I have not got out, because the garage is the haunt of numerous large spiders. When my husband was alive we used to have living trees and the last one was planted in the garden and is now about 15 ft high. Last Christmas I bought a white one from Lidls who were also selling lights, so I got a string of golden ones. My granddaughter help me put it together. It looks pretty with the lights on. To avoid the spiders I put it back in its box and left it behind my sofa. Must try to erect it in a few days before my daughter comes to stay.

No, it doesn't depend on my childhood. Real everything and total 'get stuck in there' was the name of the game. Such wonderful memories. Nowadays self preservation and laziness is practised. Oh, I love it and get caught up in it all mentally but not physically. Still do lots of presents and a few cards but here endeth the exertion. Pretty much eye candy for me but thoroughly grateful to all those who make the physical effort.

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.

Had real as a child but fake now and the one we have is such a chore to erect and dismantle I've just bought one that pulls out of the box ready decorated etc. - I go for the easy route these days

No tree but paper decorations we made ourselves and hung across the ceiling. I think we may have had a small artificial one in the 60s because i still have the plastic fairy with paper wings but my Mum never liked the whole decorating the house thing. I dont have a tree and minimal decorations now.

I have real ones in the garden that I put lights on, and a fibre optic one indoors. I couldn't bear for a tree to be chopped up just to entertain me for a few days.

Same here tanith,i just can`t be bothered.

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.

We've only tried a real tree a couple of times over the years! But- i put my 22yr old son in charge of decorations this year- and he (says) HE CAN'T FIND THE TREE !!??He often 'cant find' stuff, then we eventually find them(like our decorating ladder he found in his shed 3wks ago after looking for months!) So as id just bought the (missing) tree new in sales for last xmas I refuse to buy another fake one (in case other 'turns up') i may buy a smallish real one for this year only! He's excelled himself this year!???‍♀️?

Never had a real tree in my whole life, either growing up or in all my life since. Seems an awful waste of a living thing. We have always had a nice artificial tree and kept the same one for many years.

We always had real trees until last year when we had a 5 month old puppy lolloping around the place. We bought a very realistic, prelit artificial tree which was put up on the landing and afterwards we put it in the loft. I think it will come out again this year although my enthusiasm is waning. We have boxes and boxes of decorations in the loft including the Fairy that adorned the trees of my childhood. She is the ugliest thing and a bit of a joke but my children have forbidden me to throw her away.

We have a fake tree cos our female dog loves a real one and scratches herself under the branches sending baubles and needles everywhere. She doesn't do it to the fake tree.

My parents were rather pared back at Christmas; artificial tree, bare bones Christmas dinner; no decorations other than on the tree; no religion (although both would have said CoE if asked.)

During my marriage I went completely the other way, over the top in everything. I was giving myself the Christmases I'd wanted as a child. Huge, real trees smothered in ornaments, multi-course dinners for twenty or thirty, midnight mass, the works,

Now I'm a widow I've eased back a bit. The tree is smaller, and artificial. I'm only cooking for 6 this year. But otherwise, I still try to have a real Christmas, not the slightly mean ones of my youth.

We always had real trees when I was young, but now, for purely practical reasons (I am very old!) my pretty little artificial one is best and I do decorate it nicely.

Always had a real tree, usually quite small, but, oh the scent of pine needles is the scent of Christmas! All but for a couple of years ago when I was having chemo and was told not to touch plants, I've had a real tree. I don't put it up until the week before Christmas. Our family were mindful that Advent was a time of waiting, and Christmas was not declared until 24th. December. I am not religious any more, but for me, it is a celebration of family and humanity. My daughters used to complain that "everybody" had theirs up at the end of November, but now they thank me for making Christmas really special. I bought my tree yesterday, but it will stay in a bucket of water outside until I am ready to 'deck the halls'. All the ritual of selecting the 'best' tree, sawing off the base of the trunk and then wedging it into the holder, then the debate about the lights and the baubles, was so very special. I hope that my 5 year old grandson and my daughter (my bubble) will help me decorate this year. I don't worry about the pine needles, I've got a robot cleaner which will get the dropped needles very efficiently!

As a child real trees, to which my father would attach real candles and light them!!!!!! Never had an accident, though.
Now the one we have is artificial but with a 'snow' covering which makes as much mess and the pine needles did.

We always had an artificial tree, but thinking back all my friends did too. Always remember my mum crying as she put ornaments on it my granny, who was no longer with us, had given her. We did the throwing cotton wool on it too and I can't stand the stuff. Gives me the heeby jeebies

I thought I was the only one not bothering putting my tree up this year, was feeling like the Christmas Grinch, so it has made me feel so much better to read other people arent bothering either. I live alone, and no longer look after grandchildren who are now teenagers, and in the current situation no-one comes round anyway so there is only me to see it and I am really not in the mood. The thought of all the mess putting it up , then again taking it down puts me right off.

Real tree in childhood and own home up until about 3 years ago. The cost of real is exorbitant now. To fill the corner I need one 8/9 feet tall. Invested in artificial one I found a few days before Christmas in John Lewis sale and I love it. Won't be having any decorations up this year as I am Christmased out already! Folks in the street have enough lights up to power a city.

As my father was in the RAF and we moved a lot, I don't remember always having a tree until the mid 1960s when we had a 4 ft silver tinsel tree. I thought it was beautiful! We often went to my aunt's for Christmas and she had a real tree. Since marrying in 1978, we've always had a real tree but now also have an additional artificial snowy one in the dining room where all decorations are nature themed.

ALWAYS real. I love the smell. My mother eventually had a fake one which I hated but understood her reasoning as she got older.

Many years ago I was a volunteer Ranger on Ashdown Forest. We would sell Scots Pines from the Forest and us Rangers got a freeby. They not only look lovely but don't drop their needles.

We now have our own trees in our wood, but not as nice as the Scots Pines and of course they drop their needles.

Nowadays if the family aren't coming I decorate branches from our walnut or twisted willow trees all around the house. they look lovely too.

I love real trees but don't have room in my boat so I put one on my jetty with solar lights on. I have a gorgeous skinny artificial tree inside. Not up yet though. Too early.

What an interesting thread, jaxjacky! I'd say that childhood trees influenced both me & DH, because we each had real ones. (Though like other GNs here, I can well remember seeing artificial trees in the 1950s.) In over 35 years together, DH & I have mostly continued with real trees, though for a few years we had an artificial tree - because it was less attractive to our active cats! Now on our own, we buy a British grown "living" potted tree, which usually comes inside for at least two Christmases. This year's tree is our smallest ever; it's about two feet tall. (Our previous living Christmas tree is planted in the garden; it was starting to look a bit unwell. If it dies, then it'll go into the wildlife log-pile.)

No in our case it depends of if you have or had cats, we used to live in the country and our two cats who were born on a farm used to love climbing trees especially the girl. A real tree in the house was a treat for her and a disaster to us. Although she is long gone we have never gone back to a real one.