Here's a story I don't understand:
Fake trees lose appeal for frugal Christmas shoppers
It's been a long time since I've bought a live tree for Christmas, but aren't they kind of expensive? And don't you have to buy them every year? Wouldn't it make more sense, money-wise, to buy an artificial tree and NOT buy one next year?
I've seen artificial trees as low as $19... granted, they're not huge and they're not beautiful at that price, but that's what ornaments are for. I know you can pay well over a hundred dollars for an artificial tree, but you can do that for a live tree, too.
It just doesn't make sense to me to buy a live tree because of money. If you get one because you love the fragrance or the look and feel of one, that's different... but to save money??
I do love the smell of a Christmas tree. But I don't think it is worth it to cut down another tree. You can get one that is raised just for this special time and that's fine. But another consideration is money. I think it is cheaper to have a fake tree and spray it with fragrance. Besides. it's less work.
ReplyDeleteBetty
Exactly, Betty!
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe the writer of the article is assuming folks are going to buy real Christmas trees. Maybe folks aren't going to have trees at all. I know a lot of folks who are getting fed up with the commercialism of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLast year we bought a potted tree. It wasn't that much more expensive than a real or fake, but we were able to plant it after Christmas, definitely getting more for our money! True, it didn't look like a traditional tree, but it worked for us.
I think it was the businesses that were assuming people would buy real trees. It still doesn't make sense to me, but to me, Christmas trees don't mean commercialism, either. They're part of the whole season and not the buying and gifting and so on. I love to sit and just look at the tree when the lights are on. Ok, call me weird. :)
ReplyDeleteEven tho my choice for a tree would have to artificial, we've not had a tree for the last 4 years - I put glass bowls of ornaments out, some with lights, plus vignettes of misc. ornaments - angels, santas, snowmen, houses, etc. thru out the house. Even an artificial tree became too much for us & took up too much storage area and a real tree is way too expensive.
ReplyDeleteI can understand how a tree becomes too much to put up and take down as well as store. Enjoy your decorations!
ReplyDeleteCall me a bit of a scrooge but I don't do a tree at all. It just seems to be more effort than I like to put into it. That said, I do enjoy the trees my family and friends display.
ReplyDeleteTo each their own, "scrooge." :) If I could only do one thing for Christmas, it would be the tree. It just wouldn't be Christmas without it even if it is artificial, but I know not everyone feels that way.
ReplyDeleteThings are bit different for me. Christmas isn't Christmas without my family. I don't get to see them very often so that is the one thing I look forward to more than any other thing come the holiday season. Pretty much everything else I can do without.
ReplyDeleteI can understand that, Lawrence. Different situations mean different priorities. Part of my family is nearby, and part of it is not, so I know what you mean about not being able to see them often.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if people aren't buying artificial trees because they already have one?
ReplyDeleteI also wonder how many of the real trees will actually sell, and not go to the mulcher machine?
That's hard to tell, slk... maybe they won't be replacing older artificial trees OR buying live ones. I guess we will see, if anyone follows up on this story.
ReplyDeleteI love a real tree. :) I live in NYC and there is not enough nature.
ReplyDeleteOur home is a nature one however.. and a real tree adds to it.
I hardly spend on gifts... to me it is not about gifts.
My real one was 23.00. A small one. :)
Betty Ann
Everyone's situations are different, so we make different choices, Betty Ann. If I lived in a big city, I might be looking for more nature, too! The artificial tree I am using now is 8 years old and it cost me $25 out of pocket, along with a $25 gift certificate from a rewards program. All together, including the gift certificate, it has cost me $6.25 a year... that's what I meant by artificial trees being cheaper.
ReplyDeleteOver here there is a man that rents out Christmas trees. He brings it a week or so before and then collects it in the New Year. The tree is living and you can have it again the following year. Seems a good idea to me. I don't think that he's too cheap yet, but give it time for the idea to catch on.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed browsing through your blog. Hope you don't mind me commenting.
Of course I don't mind you commenting, p1kef1sh! Renting out Christmas trees sounds like a smart business.
ReplyDeleteI just read this post and decided to chime in. I think putting up my Christmas tree and taking it down is what the most time consuming job.. but my grown kids would be disappointed without a tree. I have used my artificial tree for 10 years which cost $100, so it averages out cheaper every year. It is the kind that you have to shape the branches, and then when done you have to flatten them back out to store them in the box. It still looks pretty good although more and more needles are coming off and a few of the little limbs have broken. I went shopping for a new one- the kind that folds like an umbrella- they were wayyyyyy to expensive and did not look as good as the one I have. Another thing- when we used to either cut or buy a real tree, I always had to wait until it was convenient for my husband to get it. And then I had to watch him wrestle and gripe to get it properly on the stand, and sometimes it fell. This is alot more stress-free. It takes me several hours- sometimes I divide the time into several days- but I always have a beautiful tree- and I also enjoy turning on the lights and looking at it.
ReplyDeleteDee, it takes me awhile to put up the tree, too, and the older I get, the more time it takes. I've learned to relax and enjoy that part, too.
ReplyDeleteMy kids would think I had flipped out if I didn't put up a tree, but then I've always been a nut for everything Christmas.