Oh Christmas Tree --

[Bluerauder]

:xtree: Real or Artificial ?? Post up your preference, experience, or photo here. :D

As a kid, I grew up with only "real" live Christmas trees. :D That was back when trees sold for $1 per foot. You could get a nice tree for about $6 or so. The smell of pine spread through the house and it was always the smell of Christmas. However, my father was a fireman and was constantly aware of the potential safety problem. The lights were the 7.5 watt variety and got extremely hot. So, the tree was only lit for a couple minutes at a time. Now, I have an artificial tree. :rolleyes: We simulate the pine smell with air fresheners, candles, or those little bottles of scent. It seems to work. ;)

More importantly is the decorations and ornaments. My sisters have a themed tree that changes every 2 or 3 years. On these trees all of the ornaments are similar or of the same color. The trees look very nice but I prefer the "memories" look. Our tree has grown from a 4 foot corner tree to the 7.5 foot one now situated in a corner of the living room.

The ornaments date back more than 30 years to our 1st Christmas before kids. As the children grew, more and more ornaments were added and each has special memories for us. Putting them on the tree, I can remember when we got them including some hand-made ornaments from school when the kids were little. Every year, we add new ones with some significance. There's even one that my son sent to me from Iraq to commemorate his deployment back in 2004-2005.

So whatever your preference and decorating preference ... post up here and let us know. :D Oughta make for some interesting holiday reading.

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/8/9/1/ChristmasTree2006.jpg

[DEFYANT]

I prefer the real trees. But Lisa talked me into the fake tree last year. We also decorate with ornaments that mark the passage of our time together.

[Mike Poore]

It's the first time we've seen a photo of fiancée, and nice to see, um, George. :D

Sadly, we didn't put up a tree, this year, the first in 40. What with the kids in Ohio, and Barb doing care-giver duties 7 days per, it just didn't seem worth the effort. :(

Of course it's hard to tell what would have happened anyway, with Calvin's wildness, it's certain, anything that could have been torn, shredded, batted, broken, or lost, would have been. :cat:

This Quat is a holy terror; but he's with me every second, even likes to go in the truck:lovies: ...at 7 months he's over 7lbs, and we just can't wait until he hits 20+. :eek:

[Joe Walsh]

I've always had 'real' Christmas trees with the assorted ornament look.

Like you said Charlie, that smell puts you in the Holiday mood.

BTW: On the TV show MYTHBUSTERS they tried to set a Christmas Tree on fire with the lights and could NOT do it.
They even did their usual "We'll make it happen no matter how preposterous the circumstances!!!"....
THOUSANDS of lights wrapped around a dry Xmas tree in an enclosed room for hours...but....NO FIRE.

[jgc61sr2002]

When the children were small we had a real tree (not cut) that could be planted in the spring. :D

We now have an artificial with remote control lights.:D

[jim geary]

Real trees once in awhile one in a bucket or pot and try to plant after. Never
any luck. Some of the ornaments date back over 70 years. Should probably
try and save the older ones but they are the ones that are the nicest.
Oh well. Tis the season.

[Bluerauder]

BTW: On the TV show MYTHBUSTERS they tried to set a Christmas Tree on fire with the lights and could NOT do it.
Yes, the newer strings of "twinkle" lights are only about 1/4 per bulb. They don't get hot at all. I have about 500 on my tree now ... that's only the equivalent of a 125 watt bulb. Considerably safer than those older strings.



It's the first time we've seen a photo of fiancée, and nice to see, um, George. :D
That's the two youngest kids. George and his sister. :)

[Bigdogjim]

We do not have a tree due to 3 cats:)

[Mike Poore]

That's the two youngest kids. George and his sister. :)

OOPS! I bet that one had 'em OTFL. :o

[Raudermaster]

My family prefers a real tree. You need the real smell! Although, if we had a fake tree I gotta admit, my Mom's favorite candle this time of year is the Christmas Wreath from Yankee Candle. It smells very good.

[whoskal]

I prefer a real tree...you just can't beat the smell...I get live tree's though, and then we replant after the first of the year......It never has made sense to me to cut down a tree just to sit in someone's living room for 2 weeks then throw it away......the only bad thing is a live tree cost almost 10 times the amount of a cut tree, but I feel better about it though.

[celtictexan]

I prefer a real tree, and it's got to be a Charlie Brown tree. My wife always laughs at me cause I cut a bunch of limbs out. They seem much thicker these days than when I was a kid. I have many ornaments also, from several generations and I like being able to have room to hang, and then, see them all. Plus the cut limbs really let the aroma of the tree out. Lots of lights, and tinsel also.

[KillJoy]

There was no tree at our house this year.

Gillian has no clue what is going on yet. She will not know it wasn't there.

As for my Parents, it is an artificial tree. Always has been, always will be.

The smell of potpourii is always in the air.

THAT is my Christmas ;)

KillJoy

[Rider90]

I brought an 11-footer to my mom's house a couple weeks back, because she had not gotten one and she always does. She normally gets a 6-footer...I came to the tree lot and said "Whats the biggest one you've got???"

As for my dad? He brought home a desktop tree from work. :baaa:

[pantheroc]

Been artificial for years (tree that is). I wrapped lights on the branch sets so I don't have to re-run lights every year. ~1000 minis. Change themes every now and then.

Discovery channel just had an episode of Mythbusters that tried to burn down real trees. It's repeated Jan 01, 2007, 7PM EST. Worth checking out!

[pantheroc]

...........................

[Black_Noise]

we have 3 cats and we have a fake tree, they still eat on it and puke.

My moms house we used to those lights that when they get hot enough they bubble, remember?

once at my moms when I was like 7 we had a real tree and like a million spyders started coming out of it the day after christmas so that was the last real one i ever remember

[lwblumjr]

Hi all,

I've had fake and real trees. For the last couple of years we have used a fake tree that has lights already on it. Works great and very easy to put up. My wife completes the decorations to her taste. Works for me. We always had one of those aluminum (silver) fake trees when I was growing up. (You know the ones.)

[ckadiddle]

Fake with built in fiber optic lights. We like it.

[Bluerauder]

We always had one of those aluminum (silver) fake trees when I was growing up. (You know the ones.)
Don't think that I have seen the fake aluminum trees in years except maybe in a store display. They became semi-popular in the 1960's. Some came with a motorized base that would let the tree turn. Some folks also had one of those color wheels that would reflect off the tree and change colors. I never did the aluminum route. No electric lights for the metal tree -- too much of a danger of electrocution. :(

How about the pink or white sprayed "fuzzy" trees -- also first came out in the 1960's -- probably a direct result of the psychedelic era and LSD. Some looked pretty good ... but I prefer the traditional "Green" Scotch Pine or Balsam Fir look .... even if it is artificial. :o

As has been stated in several posts ... the smell of pine is an important memory trigger in remembering Christmases Past. :D