Red and Rover by Brian Basset for December 09, 2024

fake weed

There are artificial trees that look more real than live trees do!

When I lived in NYC, there would be a discarded tree by the curb on Dec. 26!

I wouldn’t have anything other than an artificial tree. For many reasons.

As a kid, I insisted on having a real tree because of the novelty of having a real tree in the house. Now as a single person, I don’t put up any decorations at all. I feel like a hypocrite, but that’s part of growing up.

We would take our snowmobile ( 69 Massey Ferguson) , attach a toboggan, and find one on our Fahm. That’s a Christmas tree adventure!

Fake tobacco

When I was growing up, we always got a real tree. When I was a teenager, my father suggested getting a fake tree. I begged him to reconsider, promising that I would take care of the tree (keeping it watered, vacuuming dropped needles, etc.). He agreed; every year after that we both kept our promises to each other. After I moved out Dad got a fake tree, and so did I.

About 40 years ago I made a Christmas tree quilt. Hang it on the wall, pin lights and decorations to it. When I finally take it down…could take months…I rinse off the dust and return it to the shelf. I started this because I’m allergic to trees and dust. Works much better for me.

I still have my artificial tree from 1970 in the garage, in the original box, with the original price sticker.

Dad bought it at S. Klein department store for $8.88

Red’s a bit sassy today….But I think Santa would be OK with it.

At least get one from a tree farm, Dad!

Ah, fond memories of sitting around the fake aluminum tree with the color wheel spinning it’s christmas colors onto the shiny branches of the tree… and the ceiling… and the walls. But hey, there were never any sharp pine needles to accidentally step on! Good times.

I have a little artificial tree, bought at least 20 years ago! Sitting here staring at it now!

It’s a peace pipe, baby…

Never had a real tree. But if I were to get a real tree, it’d be one that I could plant in the front yard. I can’t see cutting down a tree just for the holiday.

I agree with Dad. I haven’t had a real tree for over 23 years and don’t have any intention of ever having another. Not only too much “hassle” but too much money, year after year after year. Plus you can have an artificial tree up a whole lot longer!

I get a real tree. I have a collection of ornaments gathered over the years. Putting the tree up is a joy. Pulling out the ornaments is like visiting with old friends.

Red, you live in the 60’s, what do you think is in that pipe.

My artificial tree is starting to shed artificial needles.

Dad’s right…there’s nothing like an aluminum tree with a color wheel!

I had the same plastic tree for as long as I could remember and it has served my family well

Muscle relaxant!!!!!!!

My dad was allergic to real trees. We still had one every year, at his insistence. He got extra allergy shots each year in December so we could have the real tree. His choice, true, but we all loved the real trees. They smelled heavenly.

When I was young we went to grandma’s house and went into the woods and chopped a real tree. When I got married we bought real trees the first few years but we switched to artificial because our son had terrible allergic reactions to the real one. We’ve had several over the years, the latest was 10 foot but we moved it to a room with a lower ceiling so now it’s about 7 foot and the bottom section is gone. We have our grand daughter come over and help decorate now.

We get a real tree (usually from one of the Boy Scout troops), and keep it up through Epiphany. I love the fragrance of a real tree. Then, it goes to the compost, or gets added to our tree “stack” a pile of brush and branches that’s home to may different creatures including rabbits.

i once left my Christmas tree up for 9 years

For years I have been unsuccessfully trying to convince the wife to get an artificial tree. I’m just not comfortable having a major fire hazard sitting in the living room for several weeks.

When the kids were little, we did Xmas day at home, then on the 26th drove 400 miles to visit the grandparents for several days. We took the tree down on the 25th and stuck it in the backyard. No sense leaving a fire hazard inside the house.

When we lived in the wooded country about 4 miles outside of Castle Rock, WA and 50 miles north of Portland, Or, we would go into our woods and cut down a fir tree for our Christmas tree. Now even back in the 50s, there were those that felt they were entitled to come on our property to cut down a tree. But, old Shep would make short order of their tries to cut down our trees.

Red was ahead of his time with that question…

Real vs. Fake. The debate continues. I tried a fake Yule log one year. Melted plastic is hard to scrape out of the hearth. At least i couldn’t smell the pine scent for a while.

Good question …. Red, ….. Rover … take a good whiff and tell us what you smell ……. :)

I laughed out loud!

The Boy Scouts here sold the last of their trees on Sunday.

Nostalgic for real tree Christmases.

I live in the Pacific Northwest. We bought an artificial tree 13 years ago and it still works. When I look at the cost of recently harvested trees, I look at the artificial and think what a smart move it was.

Hooch…(but it should put him in the MOOD for Christmas. O should just get one of those white aluminum trees that were popular then…)