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I've always wanted a real tree with tasteful traditional colours, baubles and swags of thick tinsel but it's always artificial totally swamped with whatever is still fit to be put out/up! Over the years some handmade decorations from the little ones have become beyond fit to add so they stay in the box to be admired annually for their memories. I always want to devote more time to putting up the tree but again it's always a casof just getting on with it before we run out of time. A favourite childrens christmas cd has to be played too, not one of my oldies.

We have a tree which we have had for well over 40years together with many different baubles which have belonged variously to older generations or been made by DC or been bought because they appealed to us. We haven't bought anything new for years on the basis that what we have is special to us. It ain't broke so we ain't fixing it!

It doesn't seem to matter who does what it always looks lovely!

We always buy a real tree, usually two weeks before Christmas, and my husband always complains about the needles dropping, even from a non-drop tree. He would prefer ro put up a tree only a couple of days, or even better, the day before Christmas.

When the children were small, we would go on a long trek to buy a tree from a special nursery in the country. This was followed by lunch out in the nursery cafeteria and other treats. Once, when my husband was away on a long business trip, I took the children on my own but did not tie the chosen tree securely enough on the roof rack. A kind motorist driving behind us on a quiet country road kept hooting and we were so busy singing "jungle Bells" that we did not notice. Our tree had fallen onto the roadside! Eventually, we managed to retrieve it with little damage done.

Once home, the tree is filled with white lights, never lights that blink, however, but beautiful, dainty, sparkingly luminous white ones, hundreds of them. All the decorations are handmade and include robins, angels, doves, hearts, rosy-cheeked felt Father Christmases, Christmas Puddings( felt) and tiny, tiny baby Jesuses nestlled in matchbox beds made by the children when small.

The youngest in the family ( from age 2) is always lifted high enough to place the crowning glory: an angel or a star, depending on which they choose.

Then we wait for darkness, so that the magic can begin. Our son used to claim that the tree danced when the lights were switchied on!

We have a real tree with roots which we've been using for the last few years. It's not huge - small enough to sit on a table out of the reach of little hands!
Lights first - simple and delicate, pretty colours. Then beaded garlands which are lengths of gold beading made to be stitched onto dresses but look lovely on the tree. I follow this with glass icicles in different shapes and sizes and glass crystals, so the effect is sparkly and magical, then a collection of silver and gold baubles I've collected over the years. Finally, strands of lametta - usually gold, but this year it's iridescent. The effect is subtle but very pretty (at least the family think so!)

I don't decorate our tree - I wouldn't dare!!

Our daughter is the Tree Queen. Since very young she has decorated our tree to within an inch of its life. It's beautiful when she's finished, green and gold and red and sparkling lights.

And I sit and watch and pass the baubles .

She's training our grandson to be her assistant .

I love Christmas !

Our tree is a travelogue. About 40 years ago I bought a christmas star made by American Indians when DH was giving a lecture in the us. Every holiday since I've bought a decoration. Sometimes in non Christian countries I've resorted to key rings- Thailand or Burma or phone tags- Japan . The last one was a felt fish from COPE in Vientiane a few weeks ago. I have so many favourites. From Homebase ( which they are knocking down in Durham ) I bought the twelve days of Christmas which I really liked

Are they knocking down Homebase near you Stansgran

I know that Bunnings are taking over but I thought they would be keeping them all open.
There's one near us which is very useful, hope it stays.

I have a super artificial tree and like to hang all the baubles I have on it. I buy at least one new one each year and discard one that's past it best except for special ones like the one with my DGS's picture on it which I will keep for ever. I then put on the tinsel and lights and then stand back and admire. Our village has a tradition whereby most folk put their trees up at the beginning of December in time for the Christmas parade, it's lovely walking the dog last thing at night seeing all the trees lit up in the windows. Hurray for Christmas I say - I love it !!

After many years of not having a proper Christmas tree I saw a rather nice one being advertised on my local Facebook group. We decided to go for it as we were hosting family for Christmas. It's a good quality artificial one about 6 foot tall. It looks lovely. We 'inherited' from the seller a complete set of decorations to go with it complete with a lovely fairy for the top. I like the simple decoration of silver and blue and we've added a few cherished family ones of little wooden holy land olive wood cutouts of candles and cribs.

I'm definitely not fussy about my tree. It's very tall so it looks lovely and elegant. I like how my tree is a mixture of old and new - newer purple and silver baubles, and older vintage red ones. I wrap the tree is lovely silver and gold beads (rather than tinsel- I hate the stuff!) and cover it in fairy lights, with a lovely star on top.