fake or real christmas tree

[Captain Intrepid]

Fake ones don't look like trees

By the time they're decorated with lights and ornaments and tons of other shit, the fake trees and real trees looks pretty much the same.

And some people think gas fires looks like real fires, and that bud light tastes like real beer :P

don't smell like trees,

I have no interest in the inside of my house smelling like trees.

Smell is one of the most powerful senses when it comes to triggering emotions and memories. You might not like the smell of the christmas trees and associate the smell with christmas, but most people do.

don't feel like trees,

Maybe you should stop trying to feel up your Christmas tree. No means no!

It's a small thing, but there's something to be said for the tactile. Remember Picard feeling up the Pheonix? Same kinda deal.

and are environmentally shitty.

Because killing lots of real trees for use as a decoration is environmentally friendly?[/quote]
Because growing millions of trees that'd never be grown otherwise, and replacing them with seedlings when they're cut down is. Or if you're really good, get a live tree. I've got two planted in my yard.

Fake trees are an abomination.

Uh-huh...

Worse than shellfish or mixing two different fibers in a garment!

 

[trekkiedane]

and are environmentally shitty.

I'm not so sure abut this though. Sure, trees grow, and that's environmentally good, but the cutting and packaging and distribution of those big heavy things every year can't be good for the environment.
The lightweight once per generation distribution of fake trees is bound to be friendlier I'm afraid.

Real Christmas trees are grown locally where the climate suits, and most of them fairly close to where they're bought. They act as fast growing carbon sinks for a dozen or so years before they're cut. After they are, they're instantly replaced with more seedlings, and after christmas they"re recycled and turned into mulch.

Fake trees are made overseas, are shipped thousands of kilometres, and all eventually end up in the landfill.

I don't see it being much of an issue which are more environmentally friendly.

Real christmas trees is one of our biggest exports here, they go all over Europe (and further) nicely wrapped up in plastic webbing on trucks.
Most cities burn their trash and process the remains (smoke, ashes) so I don't see a big problem with discarding fake plastic trees -and this is a once in a lifetime thing, not an annual problem.
I suppose this could go either way actually.

Fake ones don't look like trees

By the time they're decorated with lights and ornaments and tons of other shit, the fake trees and real trees looks pretty much the same.

With a real tree you don't need a lot of all that crap on it as it's a thing of beauty on itself.

 

[RoJoHen]

I dislike the idea of Christmas trees in general, real or fake.

Always felt like a tremendous waste of time. If I ever buy one, it will be one of those tiny fake trees with the built-in lights that I can put on an end table.

 

[Ashu]

Mine's fake, but I do like real ones.

 

[Kestra]

I like fake trees for several reasons.

They're quite pretty. We've got a fairly large one that's a beautiful shade of green. It looks fantastic even with just white lights on it, without ornaments.

They aren't messy.

They don't smell or give off anything to aggravate my allergies.

They can be packed away for next year quite easily.

 

[RoJoHen]

With a real tree you don't need a lot of all that crap on it as it's a thing of beauty on itself.

Maybe I'm just not terribly impressed with evergreens, considering I grew up with about 6 of them in my yard.

Trees belong in nature, not in my living room.

 

[Ward Fowler]

I used to know an old lady who lived in a large house by herself. She kept her tree up all year round and when christmas rolled around she'd open the door to her formal living room. After New Year's she would close the door until the next christmas.

 

[trekkiedane]

They don't smell or give off anything to aggravate my allergies.

That is the only reason I can think of that would make me want a fake tree in a private home -I'd be worried about the chemicals oozing off all that plastic though.

With a real tree you don't need a lot of all that crap on it as it's a thing of beauty on itself.

Maybe I'm just not terribly impressed with evergreens, considering I grew up with about 6 of them in my yard.

All of our hedges were made of evergreens where I grew up.

Trees belong in nature, not in my living room.

Indeed, but so do roses and tulips and cats and dogs…

As I'm not having the family in my place on christmas eve, I don't have a tree in my home, I couldn't do totally without the evergreen smell all of December though, so I've got myself a small bouquet:

 

[RoJoHen]

The more I think about it, the more I realize I just don't like Christmas that much. Too much work. Too much money. Too much inconvenient travel.

Bah.

 

[Captain X]

Smell is one of the most powerful senses when it comes to triggering emotions and memories. You might not like the smell of the christmas trees and associate the smell with christmas, but most people do.

I associate it with cheap car air fresheners, personally.

 

[Thurisaz]

Man you all suck!! Bing will see fit to kick all your asses in the afterlife.

 

[Hermiod]

Man you all suck!! Bing will see fit to kick all your asses in the afterlife.

Chandler ?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I broke down and got a large fiberoptic tree. It looks like a real tree, with the exception of fiberoptic lights that constantly change colors. It's pretty cool.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Real!

 

[trekkiedane]

I broke down and got a large fiberoptic tree. It looks like a real tree, with the exception of fiberoptic lights that constantly change colors. It's pretty cool.

Apart from fake trees that's another thing I'll never understand: fake candles.

A christmas tree is supposed to be a tree with candles -not just another appliance…

Showing my age much?

 

[Pingfah]

I don't have a tree or any decorations.

Christmas is one day long as far as I am concerned.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I broke down and got a large fiberoptic tree. It looks like a real tree, with the exception of fiberoptic lights that constantly change colors. It's pretty cool.

Apart from fake trees that's another thing I'll never understand: fake candles.

A christmas tree is supposed to be a tree with candles -not just another appliance…

Showing my age much?

Well, I was never that hardcore anyway. I never had actual candles in the tree, just strings of lights.

The lights don't look like candles though, they're just like pine needles but with lights in them, like this:



It's really pretty at night. We also have strings of more conventional Christmas lights on it as well.

 

[trekkiedane]

^I hated that year when my parents had red candles on the tree (instead of the correct white ones). Yuck, so not right.

I don't have a tree or any decorations.

Christmas is one day long as far as I am concerned.

Says a guy with both a holiday avatar and username

 

[WillsBabe]

Oh, that's really beautiful.

I like the romance of a real tree - going to chose it, bringing it home, hoping it fits - because they always look smaller in the store! I love the smell of them and I love the "pagan" echoes and traditions. OTOH, I really hate throwing them away at the end of Christmas and watching the needles drop and the tree droop during the season. That's sad.

I love artificial trees, too, because they are something that you have from year to year, and there's something nice and comforting about bringing out the tree you've had for years.

Here's one of the ornaments I bought last year at the Christmas market on my trip to Krakov.

 

[Pingfah]

I don't have a tree or any decorations.

Christmas is one day long as far as I am concerned.

Says a guy with both a holiday avatar and username

They are both clearly anti-christmas