For Christmas: You will put a natural tree or an artificial one and why?

[cath007]

For my part I put an artificial one for less trouble in appart and he have all the lights with the balls.Purchased at Canadian Tire at 50% off 6 years ago.But I do like the scent of a natural one.

What about you?

I do remember (and after seeing some pictures of my childhood memories we did every year a natural one)...the smell and to see it the night with the lights or into the morning all shinning...nothing could beats those memories

I usually put mine 2 weeks before Christmas..but this year it is so dark in the evening I might assembled this tree this week
And you ? You do yours 1 month or more close to Christmas?

[hollyquaiscer]

When my kids were young, we always did the real tree. It was a great ordeal for us. Every Christmas eve, in the early afternoon, we would head out and get the best deal on the largest most beautiful tree we could find. Often going to 3 or 4 lots to get that just perfect tree. We would bring it home, and put it up. We'd have a nice lunch while the tree sat for a few hours, then we'd decorate it. Everyone would help...it brings back so many great Christmas memories.

After Christmas eve mass, the kids would put their presents for each other under the tree, hang their stockings, then we'd enjoy a special meal often with other relatives and friends.

When the girls got older, youngest I think was 17, we decided to to with the artificial tree. Artificial trees had come a long way by then and all the girls even helped pick out that, lol.

Now, I don't do a tree anymore, but join in the affair at my dd's homes if we're in Canada for Christmas. O cam just say that nothing beats the smell of a real tree, brings back so many happy memories

[Mamaelmo]

I have an artifical tree. always have had one becuase of the apt i lived in when i first moved out on my own wouldnt allow real trees, then a few years ago i went an got a fake one that is black and prelit. my dd decorated it last night i still have to take a better pic

[Natalka]

I grew up only having an artificial tree, so had no clue about having real ones. Mom always decorated the tree so beautifully, though, it was always lovely!

Once I got married, though, my husband said no way to having an artificial tree, so we've always had real.

Best memory I have is our first Christmas after we were married, we went driving way north of the city we were living, went to a national forest where you are allowed to cut trees - and my husband worked SO hard to get us a beauty!

To buy, many of them are so expensive, but we choose between a few varieties we like a lot, that don't lose needles (really!) and last a long time - and usually spend under $30; we don't buy a big tree because we don't put it on a stand.

The smell of the tree is SO amazing; I just love it!
Plus, the cats totally behave themselves, so there's no hassle having a real tree.

We put the tree up the week before Christmas - but need to have it last til mid-Jan. (to get through Ukrainian Christmas on the 6/7th, and hopefully til the Feast of Jordan/Epiphany on Jan. 19).

This is our tree last year (gah, this year I'll take pics when all the junk is cleared away!)

[Shwa Girl]

Hey cath007 - nice that you have good memories of your childhood Christmas.
As a child, we had artificial trees but good memories too.

We are having a small tree and decorations inside. We will add outdoor decorations closer to the day. We keep them up into January as some friends celebrate their Christmas into January.

[cath007]

Or in Drummondville we have ''Le Village Quebecois D'Antan''. They put outdoors lights on 100 years houses . We can do rides in sleighbell tooIt is so beautiful.I am tempted to go this year. Or just watch the ornaments and lights in exteriors houses the evening is so magical!!!People beggin to decorate in our city

[gourmetsue]

I didn't have Christmas as a kid and only really started celebrating when I was about 14. Matt and I have always had artificial trees together. He grew up with real trees and going out into the woods with his dad and chopping down the tree I love that memory. But we lived in an apartment for so long and weren't allowed a real tree. I think this year we'll go out and get a real tree for the foyer.

This year we're having two trees (maybe 3). One in our living room. The "Fancy" tree with all the silver / blue balls and white lights. Matt says that's My tree because I LOVE white lights. I got a second tree on Christmas eve last year for $30 and it's amazing. It's 7 1/2 feet tall and looks so full. That will be, as Matt says "gaudy, garish, childish" tree, multi-colours lights, all the ornaments from our 11 years together. That's where the presents go and all the Christmas activity happens.

DH and I put them up last night (early by our standards), and put the lights on. My parents are coming up this weekend and we'll put the decorations on together and have chocochino and play music. I can't wait!!

It's going to look like Christmas Exploded in our house!

[MrsSunshine]

while i would love to have a real tree. hubby is allergic. always joke my first xmas without him im getting a real tree and a kitten lol..
we've had an assorted amount of shapes (halfies too) and sizes and colors of trees(green/white).. this year (unless something different happens in the next week) I have just a 3.5 foot tree up.

[RebeccaRYoung]

Growing up we always had an artificial tree.

A few years ago my husband and I got a real tree, which was amazing. We went to a Christmas tree farm that ended up being a whole Christmas village. You went out into the fields, picked a tree, and cut it down yourself. They had apple cider and hot chocolate and a store for ornaments. You could even order your fresh turkey. I loved the experience!

This year we won't be home for Christmas, so we put up an artificial tree. We put it up this past weekend. I still prefer the real tree, but it just doesn't work for us this year.

[LovelyLaeticia]

We go with real! Just something about going and picking out a tree, and cutting it down... It's part of Christmas for us

[VeeVee]

This is our tree this year. I decorated last week when my mom came to visit she helped me. We have always had a fake one, even when I was a kid. I find them easier to clean up after and safer lol

[alicia]

Has to be a real tree - you cannot fake the smell.

[pac182]

Growing up we always had a real tree. My grandparents had a lot of property and lots of trees. So we would always go there and walk around until we found the perfect tree and then we would have a fire and roast marshmallows and hot dogs. Once we got older and the artificial trees got cheaper and nicer looking we got one. Mostly because of allergies not getting along with the real tree and finding needles everywhere.

[toban]

I have an artificial tree that came with coloured lights attached to it.Easy to set up and take down. I like the smell of a real tree but hate cleaning up all the needles.

[Darth Penguin]

Or in Drummondville we have ''Le Village Quebecois D'Antan''. They put outdoors lights on 100 years houses . We can do rides in sleighbell tooIt is so beautiful.I am tempted to go this year. Or just watch the ornaments and lights in exteriors houses the evening is so magical!!!People beggin to decorate in our city

I'm thinking about heading down there with the brood one week-end just to see that.