What Erik said.

When you think about it, each Christmas tree has to grow for years before it's large enough to be an acceptable decoration. If a tree farmer sells 100 trees each year, and it takes 10 years for the tree to grow, he's got to have a field of 1000 trees at any point in time.

And when you're done with the tree, you can chip it up and use it for mulch!

So much more functional than a fake tree.

There are pros and cons for both. I used to have live trees, until my daughter ended up being sick every holiday. Found out the spores exacerbated her asthma, and since then, have had the same artificial tree. I wish I could go back, but can't. Too cold here to open windows in the PHL area!!!

We have pared down as we have gotten older, the kids are grown and the grandkids are far awy and growing. I made Christmas today with one box...ONE BOX, and it took less than an hour. Husband was delighted when he got home to see Christmas done and I am happy to have such an easy time of it. Small tree, manger scene, candles and lights. Enough!

my parents had the same fake tree for decades, i thought it was completely normal to first assemble one's tree before decorating it. i was quite an old kid before i realized that not everyone does that.

it's true that fake trees are made with plastic, etc, but the intention is that you buy one good tree and use it for 20 years. you don't buy a new fake tree every couple years and throw yours out. it's like anything else that's made with plastic -- lawn furniture, whatever. if we were in the mindset that you buy one and use it for ages, it wouldn't so much matter that things are made with plastic, the problem comes when we think of plastic things as disposable.

that said, i mainly go with fake because when i moved into this house, there was a fake christmas tree in the basement. free tree! how could i say no? :)

Very timely piece, and LOVE the ribbon tip. The stuff that has the wire in the sides so you can form stuff with it is great. But I don't think I've done as many different things with it as you have, though. We are trying to downsize and stay downsized, and since some of my Christmas decorations didn't survive two years in storage, I'm going to be seriously brainstorming ribbon possibilities now that you've shown me the light.

The family tree is one my mom sent me in 1991 or so, which she got at a yard sale. It's a bit ratty, but it's no more ratty than it was when I got it. :P We bought one last year for my son, who is now 11. One day he'll go away and have his own Christmas, and he'll have his own tree with its own memories.

There are always questions about which is better - live or fake. Transportation to and from the tree farm and if the city can use all the mulch from chipping the trees, the ecological impact of having a swath of genetically identical trees, reduction of diversity by clearing out forests to farm Christmas trees, problems of storing the big bulky tree which sees use for 1/12 of the year, using plastics and horrible work conditions to make trees in China and ship the leaden, melamine-tainted products around the world... I think we have to just do our best. Make sure there's no stray weird stuff on the dead trees clustered on the curb so they *can* be chipped, and reuse the fake trees a million times so we don't have to consume more than the once.

I got into this manic crafty mode one year and sewed stockings for each family member from my stash of scrap fabrics (they chose the colors they wanted). Every year the stockings go up on the mantle. This week I had ankle surgery and can't do a tree for the family. The gang has still not decided how they want to handle it. Use their aunt's very small plastic tree or buy a very small live one.

Growing up, we didn't have a green tree but a small beautifully shaped deciduous tree that had been bulldozed down at a construction site. My dad (an artist) dragged it home, put it in a stand, and we decorated it with clear twinkley lights, my mom's homemade popcorn balls (wrapped in orange celophane), and oddball ornaments. Around February, Dad suspended it up side down in the front window where it stayed for years (and which we decorated every Christmas). When Dad died, one of his students asked if she could have it.

Well in some places like where I live we have this long an arduous season called 'FIRE SEASON' which used to be a month and now seems to be four months. When I moved to the forest I was all touchy-feely with the whole tree thing. But you know what? Up here residents get permits to go into sections of the forest that need to be thinned for fire. 

(Basically, if you have three trees growing in the same space the two tallest ones will take all the light and nutrients and the third will eventually dry and become kindling for the next fire).

I feel no guilt whatsoever in my husband and mother going on their annual tree hunt. For $10 we get a tree that fits us (this one is seven feet +) and that's one less match stick come fire season.

Margaret Garcia-Couoh

My mother started labeling each ornament given by her or received in our family with a to/from gift tag with the year marked. I have continued her tagging tradition. My husband and I have given each of our children one or more ornaments each year. They each have dozens of ornaments to start their own Christmas trees when they move out and they know from whom and when each was received. Whenever I give a tagged ornament as a gift, I always get a comment about what a great idea it is to identify it.