# Christmas tree: is yours real or fake? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 21, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980 "2010-12-21T18:16:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/1 "2010-12-21T18:16:19Z")
What do you have (or what would you have if you were to have one), real or artificial? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/2 "2010-12-21T18:19:20Z")
I don’t have one. In fact, I’ve never had one. I always go to visit my parents at Christmas. They have a fake tree, have for years. Apparently it is much easier to deal with a fake one, and the thing looks great. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/3 "2010-12-21T18:19:37Z")
Since I had to deal with a fake plastic tree with my ex for 20+ years, which became dusty and dirty and impossible to clean, I now only have real trees, grown for the purpose. Man, I came to hate that tree. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/4 "2010-12-21T18:21:07Z")
My family’s artificial tree is older than I or any of my siblings am. Probably loses as many or more needles than a real tree would. It’s practically bare now but my parents still set it up every year and just load it down with ornaments and lights to make it look fuller. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/5 "2010-12-21T18:32:26Z")
Growing up we had a pretty nice, fake tree. I think my dad still had it but it’s been at least ten years since it has been but up. Since I moved out on my own, I’ve never had a tree. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/6 "2010-12-21T18:37:15Z")
Real for us. We drive up into the hills to a tree farm and chop it down. It’s fun. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/7 "2010-12-21T18:39:31Z")
Real, real, real. Smells much better. Now, our Christmas tree stand is almost 60 years old, but the tree is fresh. And I wish we lived within a reasonable distance of a cut-your-own place. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/8 "2010-12-21T18:42:46Z")
We use an artificial tree that belonged to my wife before we’d even met (which was in 1993). It’s lost a lot of needles, some of the branches are loose, and it doesn’t stand up quite straight. But every time we set it up and get it all decorated, it ends up looking great. So we keep putting it up. I’m not one of those people who is always convinced that the worst is going to happen, but nevertheless, I’m not comfortable with the fire hazard created by the combination of a dead, dried-out pine tree and electrical wiring. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/9 "2010-12-21T18:50:44Z")
We have a real one and a tiny fake one. The main advantage of the real one for us is that I don’t have to store the fake one. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/10 "2010-12-21T18:58:47Z")
Gotta have that smell. And I _like_ needles on the floor, makes the vacuum cleaner smell good. Only thing I don’t like is having to water it, but on balance I enjoy it and it’s a nice family tradition for us. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/11 "2010-12-21T19:03:19Z")
The real deal. We go to a tree farm and cut one down every year. I like doing this for a few reasons: We have fun doing it, it supports a local business, and when you cut down your own tree, it lasts a lot longer than one you buy from a tree lot. Once the kids are grown, I suspect we may move to getting an artificial tree, but that won’t be for quite some time. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/12 "2010-12-21T19:03:33Z")
Fake but I usually end up buying a garland or wreath fresh for the nice scent. Forgot this year though. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/13 "2010-12-21T19:07:07Z")
I have one of those top-of-the-line artificial trees with oozers and squirters. It even comes with a bag of plastic needles to scatter on the rug. They clog up the vacuum cleaner just as good as the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/14 "2010-12-21T19:21:02Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I have one of those top-of-the-line artificial trees with **oozers and squirters**. It even comes with a bag of plastic needles to scatter on the rug. They clog up the vacuum cleaner just as good as the real thing. It a whoosh, right? Right? Please tell me you’re whooshing. . . :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/15 "2010-12-21T19:39:15Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > It a whoosh, right? Right? Please tell me you’re whooshing. . . :eek: I guess I’m the only one with fond memories of Christmas in [Hooterville.](http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/ga45.asp) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/16 "2010-12-21T19:55:16Z")
My parents started putting up a fake tree pretty early on. Maybe when I was 8? The first one they had was not pre-lit and we went through the hassle of putting lights on every year. Eventually mom wisened up and got a pre-lit one and it’s been happiness ever since. No wait, it’s been happiness ever since I moved out and suggested she put the Christmas stuff in my old bedroom closet instead of in the attic. It’s a long way from buying a fresh tree, lighting it and decorating it with a bunch of crap from the attic, to standing up a pre-lit tree and throwing on a few decorations from the closet. Score! Personally I have a little 2’ pre-lit fake tree that I put in my window. It serves as my “outdoor lights” as well. I put like 8 ornaments on it and I’m good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Goliath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rex\_Goliath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Goliath)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/17 "2010-12-21T20:03:14Z")
My girlfriend and I are poor. We drew a picture of a christmas tree and taped it to the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/18 "2010-12-21T20:07:25Z")
Well, I don’t want my local tree farmers to wind up selling their land to a development company so that Mcmansions can be built and adorned with PVC fencing, so it’s a real tree for me. I also use lots of paper to support sustainable forests reserved for such use. Finally, I suck up as much fossil fuel here in the USA so that the more irresponsible countries can’t get their hands on it and burn it irresponsibly. That’s how I roll. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/19 "2010-12-21T20:09:59Z")
Fake. And you guys that have those old worn out trees? It’s ok to replace them, you know. I mean, 20 years! Wow. I kept a fake tree for I think 8 or 10, and then threw it right the fuck out and bought a new one. And I thought I was keeping it a long time. Mine is pre-lighted, too, which sure saves me a lot of trouble. I hate pine needles all up in everything. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980/20 "2010-12-21T20:31:37Z")
I’ve got a real Noble Fir this year, but a pre-lit fake tree is sitting in my spare bedroom. I think we may alternate years from now on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-is-yours-real-or-fake/564980.md?page=2)