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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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. ?

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).

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

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.

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 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.

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 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.

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!

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.

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