Do you buy a fake or real Christmas tree?

Greatirishelk

Did you buy a fake or real Christmas tree? In particular if you live in the Ballincollig/Cork area. If you bought a real one did you chip it?

dudara

Moved to the Christmas forum

dudara

bee06

Real one and my dad took it away. Dunno what he did with it. Chopped it up for firewood maybe.

Glitzgirl

Not in Cork sorry but fake all the way! Still have my first christams tree from when Mr glitz and i first met over 11 years ago and it's still perfect ! Don't like the mess from the real ones.

Postgrad10

Fake all the way . Far too many allergies in the family so play it safe

appledrop

Had a fake up growing up + first thing I did when got own house was buy a real one but in the end it was a nightmare! It's a real tree so wasn't symmetrical like the fake one so leaned a bit. Then even though meant to be non shed it still loses needles. The bauble are impossible to get on as branches so thick + then as tree dries out they all fall off. Next year we got a huge really brilliant fake one + have never looked back.

xDisneyDivax

I love the smell of real tree but fake tree all the way! My magical argument is that it collects memories every year!

Glitzgirl

Can any one remember how much the homestore and more fake christmas trees were last year?

xDisneyDivax

Was between €170-220 I think. Hope to get one for daddy as the 10ft one he got last year was too big for his liking!

Glitzgirl

xDisneyDivax wrote: »

Was between €170-220 I think. Hope to get one for daddy as the 10ft one he got last year was too big for his liking!

Every year I say I'm getting one .... and every year I miss it. Not this year baby ! I'm getting one the min they hit the shops hahah omg I'd love a 10ft tree

xDisneyDivax

Loads of people raved about it! Would be tempted to get one myself but ours is nice although daddy said I can take his 10ft tree just gotta convince hubby!!Haha!

freshpopcorn

xDisneyDivax wrote: »

I love the smell of real tree but fake tree all the way! My magical argument is that it collects memories every year!

Shops stock similar to these. There meant to give off the smell of a real tree.

Toots

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Shops stock similar to these. There meant to give off the smell of a real tree.

Oh my god I want these! We have a fake tree for our apartment because it's too awkward to get a real tree out after Christmas without the needles destroying the corridors and communal areas. My parents always get a massive real one though, and the whole family helps decorate it. If I ever have a house I'll have a real tree.

freshpopcorn

Toots wrote: »

Oh my god I want these! We have a fake tree for our apartment because it's too awkward to get a real tree out after Christmas without the needles destroying the corridors and communal areas. My parents always get a massive real one though, and the whole family helps decorate it. If I ever have a house I'll have a real tree.

They are on Amazon but I saw them in a good few shops last year in the Christmas section.(Homestore and more, Woodies(I think), etc) They were generally in a stand on there own with a few other scented stick.

xDisneyDivax

Oohhh I saw them last year but didn't get it! Would love to know if anyone tried it

Glitzgirl

xDisneyDivax wrote: »

Loads of people raved about it! Would be tempted to get one myself but ours is nice although daddy said I can take his 10ft tree just gotta convince hubby!!Haha!

take it !! If your hubby is anything like mine then just put it up. He may complain but he won't take it down

xDisneyDivax

Glitzgirl wrote: »

Take it !! If your hubby is anything like mine then just put it up. He may complain but he won't take it down

Think I will!! The problem is he always help me fix the branches and put on lights because he got that level of perfection that I don't have and I'm never satisfied unless he do it ha!

DvB

We have 2 fake ones, an 8ft (our main one) and a 6ft skinny style one for the hall which we put beside the hall door to it can be seen from outside. The main one goes to the back of the house so wouldnt be seen from the front, hence having the second one.
As much as I love the small of a real tree IMO they always look a tad disappointing & the cleaniong up/disposal is a chore I can do without TBH.
At this stage getting the tree & decorations out of the attic & putting them all up & then away in January is a tradition in itself & we wont be changing anytime soon.

Fian

I have yet to see a real tree that looks as good as my fake one, which i have had for years. I spent lots on it, but I have had it 15 years and at this stage it has worked out cheaper than buying a real one each year. It brushes the ceiling, is think ad even and you would need to touch it to know it is artificial - it looks very realistic. Easy choice imo.

I also have an artificial lawn out the back. Again the only way to tell it is not real is that it looks a little too perfect, and by touch. I have often had complements on how well i keep the lawn from visitors. It often puzzles me why people in countries with little rain (like spain) don't have artificial lawns more frequently.

Loughc

Fian wrote: »

I have yet to see a real tree that looks as good as my fake one, which i have had for years. I spent lots on it, but I have had it 15 years and at this stage it has worked out cheaper than buying a real one each year. It brushes the ceiling, is think ad even and you would need to touch it to know it is artificial - it looks very realistic. Easy choice imo.

Where did you buy your tree?

Fian

Loughc wrote: »

Where did you buy your tree?

Sorry - like I said it was 15 years ago, I can't remember. May even have been woodies or maybe I am thinking that only because we have definitely bought lights in woodies. lots of places sell good ones though I guess.

Glitzgirl

Fian wrote: »

I also have an artificial lawn out the back. Again the only way to tell it is not real is that it looks a little too perfect, and by touch. I have often had complements on how well i keep the lawn from visitors. It often puzzles me why people in countries with little rain (like spain) don't have artificial lawns more frequently.

I would LOVE an artifical lawn hahah imo if the set of desperate housewives looked amazing with fake flowers then dam it I can have a nice garden too ... flowers and shrubbery lit shake with fear when they see me coming :pac: fake all the way imo

Jude13

We had an artificial lawn in the house we moved into however in the summer it would scald your feet so we got a real lawn Doesn't look as good but when the pals little elves visit they can walk on it and play bare foot. Ditto for the mutt.

We got an amazing fake tree in crate and barrel. Its on the pic thread, so realistic.

Fian

Jude13 wrote: »

We had an artificial lawn in the house we moved into however in the summer it would scald your feet so we got a real lawn Doesn't look as good but when the pals little elves visit they can walk on it and play bare foot. Ditto for the mutt.

We got an amazing fake tree in crate and barrel. Its on the pic thread, so realistic.

For me the major benefit of an artificial lawn (ignoring the fact i could give away the lawnmower) is the absence of mud. We tiled most of the downstairs of the house at the time we put in the new lawn (we did an extension and did up the whole house at once). White porcelain tiles. We have 2 dogs, 4 kids and we had a muddy back garden. now even when it is wet outside we get wet paw prints in the house, but not really muddy ones. Ours does not get hot enough to burn / hurt feet, nothing like a beach on a sunny day, but it is pleasantly warm and dry to lie out on. I am delighted with it. We have it about 10 years now and still looks great, though someone spilled some white paint on one patch which does not grow out as it would with a real lawn.

Funthalia_Love

A few years ago I bought a Brunswick Artificial Christmas Tree from irishchristmastrees.com

In real life it is massive and bushy and dense and I really like it.

It's far too big for my current sitting room but I don't build up the back and bottom fronds to make it fit in the corner.

This is the link.....

http://www.irishchristmastrees.com/mall/productpage.cfm/IrishChristmasTrees/Brunswick_Spruce_Tree_with_Stand%20/54540


I will post a picture if I can dig one up!

IMO, it was well worth the investment. We modified the base to make it sturdier as I don't have the room to attach all of the branches.

beertons

Fake all the way. Whilst I like real tree's, they're dead in no time with the heat from the fire drying it out. Herself said she'd water it every day, but she killed an artificial plant before, I have no faith in her promises. Christmas incense and candles make up for the missing smell.

Gave my mother 20 quid for it 10 years ago, think she had it for 20 years.

Call me Al

I invested in a good-quality artificial tree 3 years ago, after years and years of hit and miss real Christmas trees and days wasted trying to find one that didn't cost a fortune.
It was well worth the price. It's symmetrical, easy to put together complete with stand, and still looks like a Christmas tree come January 5th/6th.
And best of all no shedding of pine needles.

Posy

The lack of symmetry would bug me with a real tree!

I have a lively dog, so when I hang decorations on a branch, I kind of curl the end of the branch around the string of the decoration (if that makes sense) so she can't pull them off the tree!!

matchthis

It'll be 11 odd years ago I got mine in Atlantic homecare. Think it's 7ft and have never seen another one like it. The years has taken its toll and thought I would have gotten a good one after Christmas on sale, but couldn't find one as good or better. That Brunswick one looks like a good contender, maybe one more year though....

Toots

Funthalia_Love wrote: »

A few years ago I bought a Brunswick Artificial Christmas Tree from irishchristmastrees.com

In real life it is massive and bushy and dense and I really like it.

It's far too big for my current sitting room but I don't build up the back and bottom fronds to make it fit in the corner.

This is the link.....

http://www.irishchristmastrees.com/mall/productpage.cfm/IrishChristmasTrees/Brunswick_Spruce_Tree_with_Stand%20/54540


I will post a picture if I can dig one up!

IMO, it was well worth the investment. We modified the base to make it sturdier as I don't have the room to attach all of the branches.

We got our artificial one from there, and it looks the business. it was expensive, but we actually bought it in January so got it half price. It was absolutely worth the money, and it's very hardy and durable - we'd had problems with fake trees in the past where they lost stability after being assembled/disassembled a couple of times. My parents always get their real tree from their bricks and mortar shop in Milltown.

Funthalia_Love

This is a fairly fuzzy picture of my tree but it gives you an idea. I would say that I have 3/4 of the height of it built - there is no fronds at the back and the very bottom row of branches are not fitted. Also, the top is bent down.

It's quite massive. Hopefully this year I can share current pictures. I am going for a pinkier theme this year and have already had a TK Maxx blitz!!!

Funthalia_Love

Also, I have dogs. Ergo - holes where the big dog sticks his head into the middle of it!

Bawnmore

We're the opposite - love having the real tree, bends and lopsided and needles included

Picking the Christmas Tree is a big deal in our house - really makes it feel like Christmas has officially started! There's a big Christmas Tree farm not too far away, so we make a day out of heading over picking out the perfect tree for us with the kids. It's a family run farm and they do a lovely job of it - Christmas music playing, santa hats on all the staff and things like that. There's different types of trees there (fir, pine etc.) and price is based on the height of the tree you pick. Prices are much better than side of the road guys too.

When you get there, you get a piece of ribbon to tie around the tree you you want. You flag down someone working there who chops it down, pops it on a trailer, nets it and brings it to the car for you. Makes a lovely day out and you have a good chance to pick a nice tree in your own time!

Glitzgirl

My first artifical christmas tree is about 11 years old. My first christmas with mr glitz I was horrified to find out Mr glitz had no christmas tree! Well straight off to argos a few days before Christmas and got a massive one on sale ... I'm amazed he didn't run there and then lol it was a clear indication of things to come :pac: 11 years later he still hasn't run and my tree is going strong lol

StripedBoxers

Fake all the way. Never had a real tree. Some family member have them and tbh I wouldn't be the biggest fan, they smell nice but that's about it for me.

This year I am hoping we can get this one. I love it and the fact it has fake snow and some decorations already on it is a big plus for me.



If we can't get that one, we'll get one of these.

Richmond 6ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree

Mayfair Christmas Tree

Balmoral Christmas Tree

Windsor Christmas Tree

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Shops stock similar to these. There meant to give off the smell of a real tree.

https://everythingchangesreviews.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/eaa5f-enviorscentscentsicles.jpg

I got these one year, there was barely any smell from them at all. Could have just been the ones I got but I wouldn't have hopes for a decent scent from them.

SarahLil

Fake tree all the way, we never had a real one probably down to me being an only child and having asthma with allergies my poor mam probably wouldn't risk it, years ago as a child I would be sick if someone gave me chocolate that wasn't cadburys cheeky cadburys only

Glitz my OH hadn't a tree 10 years ago either I went to my local Superquinn and got a tree for his apartment it was way too big for the apartment but we have it in our house now and it's still going strong

Jude13

You have to have a real tree just once. It's an abiding memory of my childhood, convincing my parents to get a real one, the smell, my god the smell.

OldMrBrennan83

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omb0wyn5ehpij9

I've always had a real tree, and absolutely adore the smell. I can never see myself buying an artificial one, even if it would be a lot less mess to clean up!

freshpopcorn

I always associate the smell of a real Christmas tree with the wreaths we put on people's graves at Christmas. So, the smell doesn't do a lot for me.

CheerLouth

We have both - real one in the sitting room, fake one in the kitchen. Makes both of us happy and the kids are delighted to have multiple trees!

Jude13

How do I post a pic? I believe photobucket doesn't work anymore.

freshpopcorn

Jude13 wrote: »

How do I post a pic? I believe photobucket doesn't work anymore.

I had issues with photos with some people being able to see them and others not when I took them off my Google photo's account.
What I do now is I upload them to a fake facebook page and open the image in a new window and copy and insert the link here!

Toto Wolfcastle

You can attach a picture directly to boards by using the option below the reply box. It won’t embed it but if you’ve posted photos before you’ll know how to do that.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Romantic Rose

BDJW wrote: »

I've always had a real tree, and absolutely adore the smell. I can never see myself buying an artificial one, even if it would be a lot less mess to clean up!

Love that fresh pine smell. We had a real tree last year and the needles didn't fall off at all but maybe it depends when the tree was cut down.

I had a real tree in a rented house in Dublin one year and came back up early January to find every last needle off the tree. I think I was finding needles until June. Went between the floorboards too!

mdwexford

Surprised so many Christmas aficionados are championing artificial trees.

We always had a fake one growing up but as soon as I moved out and had my own family it was real all the way.

Symmetry and clean up be damned!!

Nothing beats an actual tree.

freshpopcorn

mdwexford wrote: »

Surprised so many Christmas aficionados are championing artificial trees.

We always had a fake one growing up but as soon as I moved out and had my own family it was real all the way.

Symmetry and clean up be damned!!

Nothing beats an actual tree.

The main reason why we wouldn't have a real tree is because we wouldn't have enough room on it for all our decorations!

Fake all the way. It’s part of our tradition and full of memories.

branie2

We've had a fake tree in our house for many years