I noticed several people said they would be using a fake tree to “be green”.
Then a few days ago I received my weekly iVillage email that addressed the real vs fake tree debate.
I would opt for real trees, because I can then recycle the trees into mulch and/or the tree will “go back into” the Earth. However I know that the fake tree will be used over and over again.
Here is what I found out on iVillage – go with live trees – these trees can be replanted and will continue to grow.
Treehugger.com also addressed this with a lot of detailed information. The comments made after are interesting too. They’re saying – If you’re already using a fake tree, keep using it. If you can buy a live tree, then use that.
I’m not sure where to buy a live tree in South Florida, so I may be buying my normal real tree this year and will recycle it. HOWEVER, I will be looking into the live tree version if not this year, next year for sure.
I would love to do a live tree – and there are places where you can "rent" the tree and get the same one year after year – but unfortunately I don't have the funds. Plus, I live alone in a second flood apartment, so I don't even want to think about trying to lug that thing up to my living room! I use a fake tree that I've had for a few years, and my plan is to keep using it for many more years. It's not perfect, but it's the solution that works for me. Thanks so much for taking the time to pull together those answers!
Go to a nursery and I am sure you will be able to find a tree there, but it is going to be expensive. Usually, when we can afford it, we buy a live tree at the end of the growing season up North here, when nurseries discount them a lot. If not, we go for a cut tree, which we then drag out to the woods next to our home to decompose and serve as shelter for animals.
Or they can be mulched and used as fertilizer. But we do fake because our tree dies by Christmas because we set out tree up the first weekend of November….that has always been our tradition and real trees do not last that long.
P.S. I'm following from the hump day hop. Would love for you to follow back if you haven't already.
Heather From and Mommy Only Has Two Hands! and Lynhea Designs
Hi, new follower here! I'm doing a little blog hopping this morning 🙂
I would LOVE a real tree! We haven't had one in about 7 years… I am going to get a real one next year!
I have 2 giveaways going on if you're interested: We Don't Have It All Together
We're trying a real tree for the first time this year. I vaguely remember having a real tree one year as a child and our cats were always climbing it (thus only one year).
I have a toddler and 2 dogs (BIG dogs). It's been difficult keeping the dogs from knocking the ornaments off (which would be a problem either way) but this year, I have to work twice as hard to keep them from chewing branches off and drinking all the poor tree's water. There are needles EVERYWHERE (thank goodness for hardwood instead of carpet) and between the toddler and the dogs, the bottom branches are going bare (from both ornaments and needles/branches).
I LOVE the smell, and I love that I can use the wood in our fireplace for a great pine tree scented fire after Christmas, but I don't know if I want the hassle next year.
ooo, LOVE real tree. i get mine real. we get them already cut and set it up the day after thankxgiving and take it down on jan 7th. it stays very nice the whole time and smells great. then we take it to the woods on the side of my house for it to go back into the earth and be a new home to other animals until it no longer is there.
Thanks for the card!
Copper Llama Studio
http://copperllamastudio.blogspot.com/
We have a fake tree, and even growing up that is all we had. I just don't have the energy to keep up with a real tree…pine needles everywhere, dogs/kids getting into the water, and nevermind the fact that I can't stand the smell of pine. (I know, how un-Christmaslike!) Plus, real trees don't last that long in our Florida heat…although with the way the weather has been this past week, they probably have a better chance this year! 🙂 (BTW…where are you in FL?)
We do a fake tree. A couple years ago we bought a larger one and gave our old one to our in-laws that haven't had a tree in years. I think they forgot how nice if is to have one for the holidays….so we recycled!
We are in Arizona and they are a fire hazard and pretty expensive if you do get one. I do like the live idea and then planting it but we are good on trees in our yard,..