The Christmas Tree SCs

[CaroPhoenix]

Don't remind me about real Christmas trees. Hubby will be making the trek to his Mommy's house to help her find a good tree. (Me, hubby & baby went down last year and spent ALL FREAKING DAY looking for "the pefect tree"). I keep asking hubby why his dad can't help his mom find the tree & help her to decorate it? He doesn't help with our 4' artificial, pre-lit tree (we live in a townhouse that's crowded with 3 people, 2 cats and lots of large furniture). This year, if he insists, he goes down by himself. Harumph.

[LdyJedi]

Another I see on occation is the Drive By customer. Often he (alway a guy), was sent to get a tree, by his wife, mother or boss. He wants the first tree he sees and is ready to leave before I have it off it's stand. "Oh don't bother cutting it." Are you going to? It cannot drink water without a fresh cut.

LOL For us - that's a yes, though. We find a tree that looks decent, buy it quickly and take it right home. Hubby has the chainsaw and cuts it to our stand perfectly.

[Gurndigarn]

I don't like fake trees, since they're a bit too "perfect" for me.

Give them six years of use, and they'll no longer be "perfect".

[Tutorgal]

We had a real tree one year when I was in early HS. We could finally make the switch after my parents divorced because my dad had moved out and he is allergic to pine. Well, that was also the year we got our cat. Who climbed the tree and caused it to fall over. We were really suprised, he was never very energetic. Ever since, its fake trees only at Mom's house.

[abbynormal]

In regard to the orginal post, I've always felt sorry for people that work at christmas tree farms or in the parking. Here at our place it's fakey all the way! We have kitties. It's probably for the best

[technical.angel]

When they were in high school, a house in the neighboorhood they both grew up in burned down because of the Christmas tree. Both of my parents knew the kid that lived there. They both swore they'd never have a real tree because of that.

Oh, and on a slightly OT note, anyone know how to keep a cat OUT of a Christmas tree? Or at least, get the tree to stand with a cat in it's branches?

Jenni

[Gurndigarn]

In regard to the orginal post, I've always felt sorry for people that work at christmas tree farms or in the parking. Here at our place it's fakey all the way! We have kitties. It's probably for the best

I worked at a tree farm, many moons ago. I managed one day.

[Kika]

Oh, and on a slightly OT note, anyone know how to keep a cat OUT of a Christmas tree? Or at least, get the tree to stand with a cat in it's branches?

My mom uses fishing line to tie the tree to hooks in the ceiling. That keeps her cats from knocking it over.

Last year, I hung my tree upside down from the ceiling. Kept the cat and the 3 year old monkey-in-training off of it. Got a lot of comments from the neighbors, though.

[technical.angel]

Hum... there's already a hook in the corner I'm planning on putting the tree. I might just try that.

Do you have any pictures of your upside down tree? That sounds cool!!!!

Jenni

[Kika]

Sadly, no pictures on the tree. My digital camera was stolen; I have one picture of last Christmas from my mom's camera.

I didn't realize you could buy special upside down trees, so I made my own bracket to hold my conventional tree on the ceiling. I had to weld the tree together (artificial), and it was insanity.

That probably won't stop me from doing it again this year though.

[Sonoma]

After reading about several-hundred-dollar Christmas Trees , I think I'll take the 16-degree temperatures, snow, ice & freezing rain that we're getting this week. I don't think I've ever paid more than $20 for a Christmas tree.

Living in the NW does have some advantages. My sister in CA gave up on real trees. I only went artificial because I always wound up being away from home over Christmas, and my cat loved climing the real tree.

[Seanette]

We had real trees when I was growing up (in Oregon) and a recurring annual problem with same: male canine household members kept feeling the need to mark the tree as their territory (male dog + tree indoors = "get the mop").

When we were living in a large enough apartment for a tree, I tried putting our bird in the artificial one we had. She couldn't get out of it fast enough for her liking.

[BusBus]

I just love real trees, but I have an artificial one. I tried the real tree thing once in a basement suite and once in an apartment. It's not worth the mess and hassles of getting rid of it. This year will be kitty#2's first Christmas, so dealing with the tree should be an interesting experience......

[Tutorgal]

Oh, and on a slightly OT note, anyone know how to keep a cat OUT of a Christmas tree? Or at least, get the tree to stand with a cat in it's branches?

Jenni

Keeping the cat out is hard. Keeping the tree standing is easier. You have to wrap wire around the trunk and tether it to the wall, and also make sure to put it in a very wide base so that it is quite stable on the bottom. This isnt a very attractive option, as it involves putting hooks into the wall, although those can be plastered and painted over when done.

I know someone who does this. Amazing what we do for the kitties.

[AFpheonix]

I just love real trees, but I have an artificial one. I tried the real tree thing once in a basement suite and once in an apartment. It's not worth the mess and hassles of getting rid of it. This year will be kitty#2's first Christmas, so dealing with the tree should be an interesting experience......

We take ours out to the burn barrel and torch it. It kind of gives one pause when you see how fast it burns......