Among Friends

[Q-Checker]

I think that real trees belong where they live -- in nature, not inside to be bedecked with unatural things until they die, not too long after. Hunting for a tree to cut down might seem like fun but so is just hunting for pine cones on the grounds to use for holiday decorations. Yes, I am another one of those tree huggers and vote for artificial trees.

[Sunshine Kate]

I love Balsam Hill Christmas trees.  They're so expensive though.  Do they come on sale?

[candys mine]

Artificial tree 7 foot.   I had put up a real tree for years.  BUT.  No matter how fresh or fast I put the tree in the stand and got it watered, the tree dried out and dropped it's needles within a week. 

Prices are always going up.  But if you don't want the "perfect" tree you can find a real tree for a reasonable price.  Much more fun decorating to fit the tree anyway.

[AuntG]

Have had both at various stages of life. Real as a child...artificial when I was an apartment dweller...real when I owed a home...then I decided as Y2K approached I'd go back to artificial. 

[SaveTheTurtles]

Beautiful tree. We always have an artificial tree with colored lights.

[Snowpuppy]

Real tree but I also have a tabletop tree from Ditz.

I am a tree hugger but since relocating from the city, I've learned about  forest management and tree farms.

As @Kachina624  said, you can stop at a US Forest Service station and purchase a permit to cut a tree in a designated area. It's akin to thinning your plants to encourage forest growth.

There are also plenty of tree farms here and many have someone who will not only cut and trim branches, they will now deliver to your home.

City folk can get a curbside pickup for recycling into bark mulch and us that are more rural take it to the designated drop off location for mulching.

[Kachina624]

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@Q-Checker wrote:

I think that real trees belong where they live -- in nature, not inside to be bedecked with unatural things until they die, not too long after. Hunting for a tree to cut down might seem like fun but so is just hunting for pine cones on the grounds to use for holiday decorations. Yes, I am another one of those tree huggers and vote for artificial trees.

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 @Q-Checker.  If there was any harm to the forest, the forest service wouldn't allow people to cut trees.  They must be thinned anyway plus the forest service does controlled burns of large areas.  That must give tree huggers apoplexy.

[MoJoV]

Up until few years ago we've always had real trees.  Nothing as beautiful and fragrant to me.  But we bought a fake for convience now.  I read that real trees are more environmentally friendly. Tree farmers plant 1 or 2 trees for everyone cut. The making of the plastic trees and sending them from China takes alot of energy.  Maybe we'll go back to real next year. 

[Boehm Collector]

@Rockycoast   We have always had real trees.  This year we did get a real tree.  But the cost of a real tree is getting out of control.   That is why we decided to get an artificial one.  Hope I can adjust to not having a real one next year,  

[Boehm Collector]

@Q-Checker .. the tree farm we go to replaces each tree that is cut down.