Christmas Trees

lawdawg · Dec 10, 2018

It seems to me that as I've grown older, more and more people are getting fake Christmas trees, and fewer people put up real trees. When I was a little kid, we always had a real tree in our house, so I'm unsure if my observation is simply the result of bias, or if there is something to it.
Fake trees have improved so much in recent years that they now look good, rather than looking cheesy. I thought about getting a fake tree this year, simply for ease of use, and because you can put them up earlier than a real tree. However, Mrs. Lawdawg gave me the picture that she wanted a real tree again, so we did what we've done for the past few years: cut one ourselves at a local Christmas tree farm. The experience, as always, was a lot of fun, and now our house smells like pine. I hope that people will keep putting up real trees, even though I myself almost caved and got a fake tree this year.

ashdigger · Dec 10, 2018

Put them up and then promptly take them down. Real Christmas trees are buckets of gas in an enclosed room with an electrical igniter strung on it.
But, I love fresh trees too. I just take precautions. My current tree is a little ceramic table top tree that my late father bought in 1976. I miss you Smokey.
BTW, great photo!!

lawdawg · Dec 10, 2018

Thanks ashdigger. IMO the danger of a real tree is overblown IF you take precautions. The trees you can buy pre-cut on a lot are usually cut at least several weeks prior. They are already drying out and could represent a fire hazard. I cut my own both because it is a fun experience, and because its the only way to get a fresh tree. A freshly-cut and properly watered tree is actually pretty difficult to burn. Cut fresh, keep watered, and you're good to go. I also use LED lights for the low heat emissions.

ashdigger · Dec 10, 2018

Lawdog, agree on the "fresh cut". I'm a fire investigator and I can tell you, show you pictures if need be, that Christmas trees are hazardous to ones safety.
Also agree on precautions being the key.

spartacus · Dec 10, 2018

A fresh cut tree! I guess as fresh as a tree cut in Oregon on a tree farm and shipped to Arizona can be. Needles are already falling off. It smells great and I use LED lights.

When I was a kid in Colorado we cut our own every year. My dad would find a big pine tree about 40' tall and cut it down. He would then cut the top 10' off and we would use that as our Christmas tree. The top 10' feet on those big tree are nicely shaped. We would then come back that summer and cut up and split the rest of the tree for firewood.

mikethompson · Dec 10, 2018

We always use a real tree around here, but no judgment if you don't. I'd love to chop down a real tree one day, but a pre-cut one has to do.

timt · Dec 10, 2018

Good looking couple you are. We always get a fresh cut tree but wait until about a week before Christmas and make sure we keep water in the stand. That baby gets hauled outside about a week after Christmas and thrown on the fire pit. Real trees do smell pretty good in the house.

kcghost · Dec 10, 2018

We bought a fake tree some years ago for the convenience of it.

seldom · Dec 10, 2018

Yup, I like real trees. Went out with the wife and boys and cut one down yesterday and it is up and was mostly decorated tonight before getting the little ones ready for bedtime. It's a fir which I prefer over pine or spruce. I like the way firs smell and the needles aren't so sharp. Enjoying a glass of wine and admiring it now. I think my favorite ornaments are the traditional German straw stars.
As far as fire hazard goes, I've seen people use real candles on their trees. That would give me fire nightmares.

3rdguy · Dec 10, 2018

I use the real ones. That's what insurance is for!

ashdigger · Dec 10, 2018

3rdguy, insurance doesn't bring back the dead.
Lawdog, my apologies for taking a great post and shitting on it.

tbradsim1 · Dec 10, 2018

We live in a 100 yr old house, built out of Pine and cypress, too much of a fire hazard here and fake tree looks nice.

puffy · Dec 10, 2018

I have a fake tree.It has lights already in it.It looks real and will last for years.Much cheaper in the long run.

lawdawg · Dec 10, 2018

Lawdog, my apologies for taking a great post and shitting on it.

All good, ashdigger. It's probably a good idea to address the "safety" aspect in any discussion on real vs. fake trees. The NFPA released a study in 2015 stating that there are about 200 Christmas tree house fires per year. Nobody wants to lose their house, or their life, as a result of a holiday celebration, so it's wise to learn the risks and how to best mitigate them.
As 3rdguy mentioned, we've got homeowners insurance, and also plenty of smoke detectors, good wiring, and recent UL approved lights.

It's a fir which I prefer over pine or spruce. I like the way firs smell and the needles aren't so sharp. Enjoying a glass of wine and admiring it now. I think my favorite ornaments are the traditional German straw stars

Fir, spruce, and pine - I like them all, and have had them all at some point. I chose a pine this year. We always got a pine when I was little, so the look and smell of a pine Christmas tree is a bit nostalgic in the best way. Pines are also about 30% cheaper than the firs where I bought my tree. They had no spruce, so I couldn't compare price wise.
I had never heard of German straw stars, so I looked them up. Very cool! I enjoy European traditions, like drinking Gluhwein around Christmas time. I will have to look into getting some traditional ornaments.

jeff540 · Dec 10, 2018

Growing up we always had a blue spruce. I think it was because the sharp needles kept children from messing with the ornaments.

seldom · Dec 10, 2018

I had never heard of German straw stars, so I looked them up. Very cool! I enjoy European traditions, like drinking Gluhwein around Christmas time

I've been enjoying Christmas here in Germany and learning more about my wife's cultural heritage. Gluhwein is nice, I like it with a bit of rum added at a cold Weihnachtsmarkt. Of course there is also Feuerzangenbowle but whatever you do don't have it under a dried out tree!
I hear you about pine and nostalgia being such an important part of the holiday. With very young children I think avoiding pine sap and spikey spruce makes sense but maybe we'll try them out in the years to come when the boys are older.
Actually, come to think of it, I'm not sure anything but fir is used here. German speakers even have a Christmas carol about a fir tree ("O Tannenbaum", Tannenbaum=fir tree).

blackadderlxx · Dec 10, 2018

My MIL has a beautiful fake tree. Me, I just love the real tree, and not storing a fake tree year round.

beerandbaccy · Dec 10, 2018

I love a real tree, but an average one sells here for £45+ and in my small London flat they are too wide. We gave up with a real tree and got a good fake one this year for £20 (on sale) that is a nice narrow width so will fit in a small corner of my modest living room!

scloyd · Dec 10, 2018

Growing up in the 60's we had a silver, maybe aluminum, tree with two color wheels that change the color of the tree to red, green and blue. We had it for many years. I look at old photos now and it was hideous looking.
I like the look and smell of real trees...we put up a fake tree that looks sorta real.

scloyd · Dec 10, 2018

My wife wanted a "pencil" tree this year so she bought this...sorta real looking...maybe if you use your imagination and you squint. :rofl:

All the gifts are hidden due to a 4 year old grandson.

Christmas Trees

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