Christmas Trees

Jennie@ifish · 11-17-2005, 07:25 AM

Just wondering. I saw a really pretty fake tree. Thought about the needles all over, and though for the first time, "This might not be so bad."
Then... I thought of tradition, and the wonderful smell in the house, and I just don't think I could do a fake tree.
How bout you?

EULACHON · 11-17-2005, 07:33 AM

Paid 35.00 for a 200.00 tree at the end of season sale....this will be the third year.....positive cash flow at this point.

Codfish · 11-17-2005, 07:34 AM

We got tired of needles, worrying about it drying up and being a fire hazard so we went fake. Works for us.

CF

baltz526 · 11-17-2005, 08:20 AM

i have no choice in the matter. i am told, today we get the tree, set it up there. then two weeks later, get that tree out to the burn pile.no vote here for me, so i did not do the poll.

Artwo · 11-17-2005, 08:24 AM

We have made a tradition out of going to the tree farm every year as a family and walking around for an hour or so to pick out the perfect tree and the cutting it down ourselves. We all wear our christmas hats and take before-cut and after-cut pictures standing in front of our trophy. At home we have a few of those multi-picture picture frames and we have pictures in them from every year we have been doing this (12 or 13 years I'm guessing) that we leave up all year long. After the tree is down and loaded in the utility trailer we have some hot cider, go pet the horses they have at the tree farm, pick out some tree trimmings to use for center pieces at home. Then we go home and put the tree up and spend the rest of the day drinking more hot cider and decorating the tree. It's a fun day we all look forward to; we usually do this the Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving...............it's coming soon, can't wait.

I just can't see not having a real tree fro Christmas.

JK

Shark Bait · 11-17-2005, 08:44 AM

Don't we live in the Christmas tree capital of America?

I would have thought that there was a state law against fake trees.

scubadad · 11-17-2005, 09:08 AM

If you have room on your property, Buy a live one and transplant. Have several out in the yard. A little work in keeping it healthy inside but haven't lost one yet.

Magnum · 11-17-2005, 09:41 AM

Fake tree, spray with pine spray, house smells great, no mess, more money to spend on the kid instead of a "way to expensive real tree", yee-haw.

uhmw · 11-17-2005, 09:52 AM

We get a 5 dollar tree pass at the estacader ranger station drive over the melamoose and up the hill till we get to some snow. We get out with the dog and three kids and geter done. after we harvest our beauty we snap a picture and send it out for post cards. Sometimes My trees look like a charlie brown trees but it realy shows off the ornements and presents below. I realy love getting our tree and it is amazing how many others we see in the woods doing the same thing each year. Lots of noble fir at the higher elevations.

ORrinker · 11-17-2005, 10:05 AM

We were having problems finding a 10'-11' tree for our living room so about 3 years ago bought a fake tree. We always go out to a tree farm to get real tree for the family room. This year we were given a 6' fake tree by my in-laws (no longer have room as they are living in smaller house)so we are giving the kids the choice of using it or getting a real one. Looks like the new fake one is staying in the box:-) More of a mess but you cannot beat tradition and the smell. I did not vote as there was not a button for both;-)

Randy

FrogPond · 11-17-2005, 10:05 AM

I really enjoy the adventure of Christmas Tree "hunting" and you can't beat the smell.

Fast Water · 11-17-2005, 10:17 AM

I can't imagine not having a real tree in the livingroom for Christmas.

BigFishFever · 11-17-2005, 10:56 AM

We had a scare last year with a real tree....we cut fresh, got it home, recut it at slight angle, kept it watered and all was good for the first week....then 3 nights before Christmas the tree started popping loudly w/ the lights off and started shedding needles like mad.....that tree went out that night and we will likely get a fake one this year....just cant take the chance any more.

rip-lightnin · 11-17-2005, 11:12 AM

goin out with my kids to cut the tree is almost as much of a thrill to me as watchin`em bustin down the stairs to get to their presents x`mas mornin. The smell, the ambiance,the warmth, the differant look every year, I just dont think I would feel the same about Christmas if I had a fakey. My parents have a false tree, and to walk into their house at x-mas time just doesnt feel quite real enough for me....Sure real trees are a little more work, but I feel the pay-off is well worth it..... Thanks J, you have officially got me in the Christmas spirit, and it`s not even Thanksgiving yet...WOOHOO.

Thumper · 11-17-2005, 11:35 AM

Bah! Humbug! I couldn't vote 'cause there was no selection for "Just hang a picture of a tree on the wall". It's a pretty big picture tho, and I spray it with pine stinko so it smells authentic.

Abalone · 11-17-2005, 01:03 PM

Thumper: You took the words right out of my fingers.

Bah Humbug ! December 25th a great day to go fishing.

Fast Water · 11-17-2005, 01:08 PM

Thumper and Abalone,

You will be visited by three Spirits....

And no, it won't be Jack Daniels, Wild Turkey and Glenfiddich.

ogrejager · 11-17-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

We get a 5 dollar tree pass at the estacader ranger station drive over the melamoose and up the hill till we get to some snow. We get out with the dog and three kids and geter done. after we harvest our beauty we snap a picture and send it out for post cards. Sometimes My trees look like a charlie brown trees but it realy shows off the ornements and presents below. I realy love getting our tree and it is amazing how many others we see in the woods doing the same thing each year. Lots of noble fir at the higher elevations.

Amen. This is what I do, too. No "farm raised" trees (or fish) in my house!

sliverpicker · 11-17-2005, 01:51 PM

My kids and I spotted this beautiful Noble Fir while hunting in the Cascades. Right after Thanksgiving last year we were able to get up to the area and do the "Griswald Family Xmas" routine.

I'm too much of a traditionalist to get a FAKE Christmas tree!

sp

Jennie@ifish · 11-17-2005, 03:25 PM

...gonna find out who is naughty and nice....

No kidding! I went through the list going, "I like that person!" to all of the "Can't live without a real tree" types. :smile: I LOVE YOU ALL!

Thumper and Ab, I do love you, too, but... well... I'm glad I don't live in your house!
:smile:
Jen

ryleysmom · 11-18-2005, 10:52 AM

Well you cant beat just going and getting a $5 tree permit and going out in the woods and snow and getting a tree....
We go with our friends and thier kids, it is great fun....

Meskel · 11-18-2005, 11:01 AM

I voted -I love the tradition too much to stop buying green- But I must also say that I will NEVER buy a fake tree.

ET · 11-18-2005, 11:09 AM

We've done all of the above. Tree farm, state forest, Home Depot, fake... we currently buy a tree.

Another big disadvantage to a fake tree is storing it for 11 months. I've got enough stuff in the garage!

jvp · 11-18-2005, 11:27 AM

I cut one on christmas eve and out of the house Jan. 2. No needle problems, I don't feel like Christmas lasts forever, gives us something to do together and last but not least no crowds. I hate crowds

HazMatt · 11-18-2005, 11:27 AM

We rented a live one for the first time last year! It was GREAT!! Very few needles shed - smaller fire hazard (cared for properly), and the company drops it off AND picks it up - it gets planted...on and on. It is something we are going to make a tradition of...Not as fun as going out to cut one down, but sure is neat to have a live tree in the house. No luck this year, due to some unforseen issues by owner this year - but looks good for next year!
Has anyone else used these folks?
Don't know if there is an ifish sponsor issue with this, but I'll delete if needed...Website with info.
http://www.livingchristmastrees.org/pages/5/index.htm

HM

ajfishfinder · 11-18-2005, 01:28 PM

Always see a real choice tree during elk hunting. But always way to much snow to get to it come december. If your paying more than 15 or 20 bucks for a tree, your going to the wrong place. Look around and you can get one for much less.

STGRule · 11-18-2005, 01:47 PM

We kill one every year. But it's okay, we only kill hatchery trees. We leave the wild ones to spawn naturally.

We call it Tom and Bobbing after the German song "Oh tannenbaum......". The kids and their kids come along and we go to a tree farm and wander around to pick the best of all the pretty trees. The smell of fresh cut Christmas tree cannot be reproduced by anything except another fresh-cut tree.

I do however have a small fake one for the buffet in the dining room.

Thumper · 11-18-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

I do however have a small fake one for the buffet in the dining room.

It starts that way. In a few years you just will be putting up a picture of the tree and spraying it with pine smell.

roadsend · 11-19-2005, 05:59 AM

We put our tree up on Christmas Eve and take it down after the Epiphany (6 January).
We keep the freshly cut base in water and have never had a problem with excessive drying.
I will buy a fake tree about the time when I start eating veggie-burgers, turky bacon, and farmed salmon.

sinker · 11-19-2005, 09:57 PM

Getting hard to find a u-cut place around here. We had 3 of them in the last 10 years go out of business on us. Looks like one ripped the trees out and it's a vineyard now.

Shows how valuable land is these days. These x-mas tree farms have the cheapest property taxes, if they're over 10 acres they're deemed "forest land". But they keep getting gobbled up.

Not sure of any other u-cut place around other than a couple of them selling trees for $50-75.

We opted for the fake tree. Alot less mess.

Mr. Fisherman · 11-20-2005, 03:56 AM

We broke down and got a used one cheap. No more spiders in the house and no more needles. We get a reef and that gives that natural pine smell and provides funds for the scouts.
We just stack it up on all the other Christmas gear in the garage so no big deal there either. I also would rather spend the money on the family than a reel tree that just gets recycled.

PapaHog · 11-21-2005, 04:36 AM

I had a floor to ceiling tree burst in flames while I was sitting there watching it. Had I not been there we would have lost the house.

It went from little flame to whole tree in 2 seconds and I was lucky that it was in the family room close to the patio door. I grabbed the tree lights and ran out back with it. Had to repaint the family room.

That was 20 years ago and we have only had one real tree since then. It got dry on us and went outside 2 days before Christmas. Better safe than sorry.

papa