[Sirrotica]

Real trees that I usually cut myself at a tree farm, usually Scotch pine or Austrian pine, I really prefer long needle trees. This year the perfect one was already cut so I bought that one.

FYI, I never hold a lighter to my trees while they're inside so I have no problems, as Mike Nixon said, maintenance is the key. Also if you cut it fresh the fire hazard is lowered significantly. Fake trees will never have the pine scent a real tree has either.

[Old Man Taylor]

I quit buying real trees when my wife died. I went without a tree for several years, and then I bought an artificial one.

[Region Warrior]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

Real one. Parents have REAL candles on it that we light a couple of times (tonight being one) during the season. We read a Christmas Carol passages and other readings around it with various friends and neighbors all reading. My mom started doing this back in 1972 when they had the first oil embargo and they wanted us all to conserve energy. This was her solution. It stuck and we have been doing it ever since. We have a real one here too, but use LED lights. We cut it at a place run by an 80 yr. old gentleman, who I love giving my $25 to each year.

Here are pics from one we did last year or year before:

Way cool!

[Qball]

We had real ones and fake ones when I was a kid. Since I got married, nine years ago and had kids, I insisted on real trees. We had a few whoppers. One year, this tree was so sick that when you walked across the floor, you'd hear needles falling off. Christmas day, after the festivities were over, my wife had me remove that fire trap from the house. There was a green needle trail where I walked this abortion out the door. After that, I discovered the Scotch Pine. We really liked the look of it and it kept its needles quite well.

This year, her parents gave us their old fake tree. I haven't really been into Christmas this year so I told her it'd be fine if we put up this faker. I'm not really hating it. I don't miss filling the stand with water and falling needles. I do, however, miss the pine smell.

[Region Warrior]

Dont buy a pre-cut tree.
Cut your own. Cut another 1" or 2 off the bottom and put up as soon as you get home.
Sap bleeds out the bottom and seals up preventing it from get'n water.
One step better is drill a hole in center of bottom and shove a tampon in. No, seriously!

[boltbuster]

We have one of each...a large artificial in the living-room and a smaller real tree in the family-room, along with a 36-inch wreath over the fireplace...fresh from Wisconsin!!

[Old Blue 66]

I think where you livs plays a big part on wat kind of tree you have. In the condensed city area, real trees arent as popular becuase they arent as easy to come by as the opne areas. Just my observation. We used to have a fresh tree stand on many streets years ago. Today, there arent that many around.

Plus to those guys who cut thier own trees, we dont have anywhere to do that and a fresh cut tree at the local nursery costs about $125.00

[Sirrotica]

Home Depot and BLowes has trees here too, they do have those in Chicago don't they?

[pierced mikey]

I wantg a real tree, but unfortunately 2 of our cats are idiots and would either eat it or knock it over climbing it. Or both. There's nothing like the smell of a Christmas tree

[71GP76TA]

If you have cats... you need a fake tree.....

[blue goats]

We've had a fake tree for about 5 years. Cause 6 years ago we got our tree at the Christmas tree farm like we did for ten years.We would pick it and cut it down, but that one had a spider's nest and we ended up with a thousand baby spiders in our house a week before Christmas.My wife HATES spiders so out went that tradition.
George

[Formulabruce]

We used to get them in a pot, then plant in spring. Kids are long gone and I cant lift.. The ones we planted are 30-40 ft now and we just had two cut ,and topped them, and gave to some folks who cant afford a tree.

[Petey]

We cut fresh ones every year. Takes about an hour or two to find the right one.(kids choice) Nice tree farm; they have tractors with wagons bringing everyone to the harvest area and back again. Fun day, hot chocolate, bonfire, christmas carolers, Santa for the kids....... Quite enjoyable!!

[Txbobcat]

If you have ever seen a real tree catch fire you wouldnt want one. In 60 seconds you couldnt find your way out of the room

[Jeff Hamlin]

[PonchoV8]

Every year I vote to not have a tree at all. Every year we have a tree. This year she had to drag it from down stairs on her own.
It's a good looking tree, but I'm not interested. The Charlie Brown tree from Walgreens is good enough for me.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Home Depot and BLowes has trees here too, they do have those in Chicago don't they?

Yea they do. But they look like crap. They are cheap at $25 though. Same with Wally Wolrd.

[F ROCK]

i miss the crazy aluminum tree we had when i was a kid. that was my earliest christmas memorie.
the old aluminum tree, with the big lights, the frosted blown glass christmas balls, and the
lionel train going around it; my family hated that tree, but i'd set it up before they got the good tree out.

i get real trees but i get rid of em right after the holiday.

[Gulliver]

Fake tree here. It stays up year 'round, yep.

[PonchoV8]

How do you dust it?