$0

4 cats+1 tree = disaster zone

Crash.

Big dogs can be a challenge too - look mum, you brought the tree INSIDE! Just for ME! I don't have to go out and get cold...

Thankfully, mine don't do that.

Funny you should mention that. This year's White House tree came from NC and NC is one of the country's major Christmas tree growing states. It's funny driving around the Boone area in western NC and seeing all the Christmas tree farms.

To answer the original topic, I was hoping to get a real tree this year since we have no rats (pine is toxic to rats) but since my part of Durham is still at stage 3 water restrictions, I feel it's irresponsible to get a live tree that will probably need regular water to keep its needles. So, the artificial tree will suffice.

I've always been allergic to Christmas trees, brings me out in rashes and lumps. Put up with it for years, for the kids, nothing like a real Christmas tree. Artificial trees only these days.

I remember years ago with limited means, myself and a neighbour ( a great big girl full of fun) obtaining a tree each from Lord Longleats estate. (not that he knew). What a laugh that was, sneaking into the woods at night, armed with only a saw and a little chopper. Just one of those things that brings a smile when I think about it We did stay away from the Safari park though!

Very hard to find a decent tree in a forest in the middle of the night!

That's a great deal. I myself am a fan of artificial trees. I love the pre-lit kind. That's the main part I hate about decorating the tree is stringing the lights evenly without tangles. Reason why is that my family owns a 12' for our house. We have 14' ceilings so imagine all the lights you need for one that high. Another good thing is that I don't have to take them off at the end of the season. Woohoo!!!

Got ours today

$99 10ft. very reasonable IMO

bear in mind that the length of time for tree to grow to a certain height is not linear, so although a 10 ft tree is only a little taller than a 8ft one, it can take 40% longer to grow...

$0 got one in me front garden
$114 for artificial one for my child

Yes, we bought ours from the same family-run business as we do every year, and the Fraser fir's needles are not as wide or as beautifully blue-tinged. But I figured the drought would have taken a toll on the trees and sent the prices higher. It did. However, the more they can sell, the less they have to irrigate in the field. I don't use more than two gallons a year in a Christmas tree stand, and I figure it will take more than that to keep a tree going another year in the field. It's normally far drier here than in NC, but we had a freakishly wet year - up until September, and it's been very dry since then.

Our community composts Christmas trees every year, and in my home town, they are used to rebuild sand dunes. My only "green" guilt is the energy used to truck a tree from NC to TX.

PS: 9', $109.

I can remember when Xmas trees were a buck a foot.

The summer before I was married, the first time, I planted 1500 of 'em by hand, using a mattock and entrenching tool.

Out here I saw last week $1.00 and up and the trees look really good.Of course we are in a very Christmas tree part of the world.
But I notice a lot of people go for the artificial trees.

I remember my grandmother having an aluminum one 40 odd years ago with a theree color light wheel playing on it.

Oh dear I had one of those,Well now I know I am old and a Nanny.
This year I am going to the UK for Christmas .I have been gone 50 years from blighty
but have been home in between.I also spent 20 years in Germany .The Christmas tree in Germany does not go up until Christmas Eve and comes down January the 6th the 12th day of Christmas.Here the trees are in the rubbish on Boxing day,Because they are put up way to soon.No worth spending $100 for.

Growing up we never put up our tree early-one year it was actually Christmas Day, cuz there was a blizzard and I went out and got one by snowmobile-paid a buck for it.

My Dad always said it was bad luck to have it up after the New Year.

As a kid we never had Christmas trees ,We would use the neighbours greenery from their big old hedge.We would decorate it with crepe paper bows,Mum used to have real glass ornaments all wrapped up fruit paper,That we did not dare touch.I think that we used that same type of paper for the loo.
As you can guess that was during the war.The first tree I remember was after my dad came home,And he was out working in the country he came home on his bike with a tree strapped to his back.Oh what joy and a wonderful memory.

Probably the best tree ever,