"Tree"
This will be my first year with an artificial tree.
When we lived in Michigan we had 2 trees, sometimes chopped down by ourselves, but usually purchased in a snowy white garden lot. The fresh trees and the sprigs made the house smell lovely. I was in charge of keeping the trees watered. After the holidays I always chopped up the trees for wood. It was a good system.
I recall maybe 20 years ago or so my mother proposing that we get an artificial tree. You would have thought she was proposing roasting children. The Horror! So it never happened. Actually, we four boys had a little artificial tree. It was very old, small, poorly made, and assembled in 5 minutes. We kids set it up in the basement for our homemade ornaments from church school projects.
That was what artificial tree meant to me < small, cheesy and not at all like the real thing.
I’ll have the real thing thank you.
Then we moved to Arizona.
We were told early on about the difficulty with having a real tree here. They are dry to begin with, and quickly go bad. Last year we were determined to get a real one. We waited until the last minute. I worked real hard at keeping it watered. It came down about 2 days after Christmas (I like a tree up for New Years’ Eve). It was a lot of effort, and left me tired.
So right after last years’ Christmas, we bought a fake tree in one of those after Christmas sales. It has been sitting unopened for a year in its box, in the garage, waiting for its debut. It hasn’t seen light since some one in China packed it up.
I am not sure of this. There is a Trojan Horse element of a nonspecific sort that leaves me dubious. I’d be lying though if I said I was going to miss the cutting/sweeping of pine bits and the daily waterings.
We set it up this weekend.
So, does anyone have an artificial tree, and are there any ‘tips’ to them?
posted by Ur-spo at 5:52 AM
19 Comments:
Bend the tips of most of the braches just a little bit up at an angle.
My fake tree is "pre-pre-lit." So I just wrap it in a sheet and carry it downstairs at the end of the season. I take off the ornaments, but leave the lights in place. Saves time the next year.
Being a fellow Arizonan, I agree with the dry mess of real tree. I use an artificial tree and with all the candles, etc. out there on the market your house can have the smell of pine too. Some of the newer trees make it easy to form the branches, some of the older ones you just have to zhuge (sp?) a bit.
Do you like to listen to holiday music while you're decorating, if so what are the favs?
Jason - this is a bone of contention in the House of Spo.
I have always liked Christmas music playing while the tree is being decorated.
Someone likes to have on the TV.
It makes for some mild fracas.
Since this is the first 'fake tree' I thought I'd play some synthetic music christmas carols this year.
Put the tree up a day or two before you are going to decorate it; bend and shape the branches to fill in the bare spots; look at it a bit later and fill the holes you missed the first time. But a can of pine scented spray and some holly scented candles. Depending on the tree you bought, by the time you get lights (lots of 'em), ornaments (strategically placed), and garland or the dreaded icicles on it will look fine. One advantage to some artificial trees -- you can often put them away with the lights ON them (if you do them right in the beginning. If the tree is the type with the hanging "panels, string lights on each panel. If it's individual stick in branches, string them carefully -- it can save you work next year. In all of it, regardless of artificial or real trees, you can still have real and blessed Christmas. God bless
I love my artificial tree! Brian and I set it up yesterday and it turned out so full and beautiful! Best $80 I have ever spent. I've never had a real tree, so I can't compare, but I've heard the upkeep is a bitch.
I don't have any tips to share with you other than adjust/spread the branches to get the optimum full effect.
Take a picture for us. I will update my blog soon to show my tree. :)
We've always had artificial trees too. (I would be scared to death to have a real tree in the house because of the fire hazard!) I echo what everyone else has already said concerning the branches and whatnot...
Can't you get a real tree with the root ball still intact? They resist drying out much better than the "amputated" ones. The only problem is that since such trees are still alive, so to speak, we feel obligated to plant them in a large pot on the terrace after the holidays and try to keep them alive. They never last in good shape much past May or June. They really need the wide open spaces.
I'm surprised that some people have suggested keeping the ornaments on to save the trouble of decorating the tree each year. But isn't decorating the tree part of the Christmas ritual? As for the Music/ Television controversy, isn't there a TV channel in Az. that plays Christmas music during the holiday season?
I'm only guessing but I think this is how you feel.
Artificial trees are like breast implants. They look funny and they don't feel right.
Yes, it takes time and effort to search out, locate, agree upon, purchase, haul, erect and decorate a real tree, which will only last a month at best before casting its miniature spears to the four corners of your home, but the time and effort spent is precious family ritual; and for the tree to work as a symbol of life, nature, and man's oneness with other living things, it's kind of important for the symbol to actually be ALIVE, or at least formerly alive, or whatever a tree is after it has been decapitated, er, derootitated.
An artificial tree is a symbol of a symbol.
The fact that the tree won't look the same by New Year's Day as it did when you set it up, that it is an hourglass graphically displaying the progress of the finite holiday season. The fact that real Christmas trees aren't perfect, are individuals with individual flaws and character. And the smell, evergreen until it's gone, just like Christmas.
That being said, personally I can't stand the mess and go with the symbol of a symbol.
It takes time to acclimate but you'll get thru it. :)
This will be the first year I've had an artificial tree. While growing up, one was never allowed in our house. Much like fake mashed potatoes. Ha! Anyway, it'll be Chris' and my first Christmas together and he already had it, sooo...
I understand that artificial trees are kind of the orphan children on Christmas decorations... the live trees and wreaths make fun of them when the lights are out. They usually don't play well with others nor do they do well in analytical classes in Christmas school.
They like off-beat Christmas carols to be played... even though they don't drink they like water in their stand and really enjoy being stroked when you walk by them...
Or so I have heard...
oh tannen-fake
oh tannen-fake
how your plastic arms entrance me
oh tannen-fake
oh tannen-fake
no needles will fall off thee
oh tannen-fake
i pseudo-love you
I have refused to succumb to the world of artificial trees. Sort of. I do have a 7' aluminum tree that I love to put up. It's still in it's original box and several years ago I bought a stand that will spin it when it's up. I haven't put it up in years because I don't have room for two trees but I do love it. That's as close to artificial I get.
My artificial tree requires 2 cups of air a day followed by some egg nog and cookies :)
I will not be decorating for christmas this year as I will be gone for the holidays - the house will be on the market too. I don't want any strangers feeling my christmas balls.
Tip: Do not water tree or mist branches.
Maddog - I remember those trees and have considered purchasing one as a second tree. My Aunt even had the 4-colored back-lit plastic disc that would throw color on the tree. Blue, red, yellow, green, repeat. I was planning a post on those trees soon.
When you just move into your first app. you get the cheaps thing. Just to say you have a tree and you can make it on you own.
Mine cost me 24.99 and it's 18 years old now.
But this year with the new cat, see I put it up with nothing in it and he's already jumping in it.
So I might go to the dollar store to get plastic balls and stuff.
Next year I'll take out the real decorations. Most are older then I am.
Thank you everybody.
This weekend we'll open up the box and set it up.
And if it looks bad, we still have time go get a real one!
I haven't had a real tree in like 6 years. I miss them terribly, it's just a lot of work, and my cat loves to eat the needles and throw up all over everything.
ugh
My artificial tree looks great tho (I think).
:)
If you like the smell find a nice potpouri or scented oil you can leave out to give you the essence. I want real bad to put up a real tree but the dogs drink the water and the presents get all wet.
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