Artificial Christmas trees? | The Boneyard

Artificial Christmas trees?

CL82

CL82

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I’ve always gotten lives trees, but with grown kids I’m thinking about the convenience of getting an artificial tree. I started to look online but there’s just a ton of information, so I figured I would tap into the boneyard braintrust.

A few years ago we “inherited” my in-laws tree when they upgraded. In my opinion it’s heinous looking, but I guess it’s nostalgic for my wife. Too fake for my taste though, but it’s probably from the 70s.

So does anyone have a pre-lit tree that they like? I’m thinking spruce because they tend to look a little more natural, pre-lit, and 7 1/2 feet.

I know I want the mold and needles and a fuller more natural shape. Is there anything else I should be thinking about? Any brands that people particularly like?

What’s the budget for it to get a decent one. I see that the prices range from a ridiculous hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
 
1st fake i got was cheap and I hated it - very hard to decorate, no soace for ornaments. Looked long and hard before I bought the one I have now. Came prelit but plenty of space for ornaments. Got it at home depot $400 - Elegant Fir
 
We bought a fake tree last year and are pleased, we bought one that doesn’t have lights already on it. Tires of bulbs and strands going out on ‘em, would rather put my own lighting strands on it.
 
Kathy said:
1st fake i got was cheap and I hated it - very hard to decorate, no soace for ornaments. Looked long and hard before I bought the one I have now. Came prelit but plenty of space for ornaments. Got it at home depot $400 - Elegant Fir
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Thanks, that’s helpful. I was actually looking at that, but just shrugged I’ll come up because I have no idea how to evaluate these things. Looks real though, at least on my phone.
 
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Always tough shopping for anything - what’s the look online vs. in person?
 
If you're looking for a cheaper route, just bought the Holiday Time 7' Pre-Lit Brookfield Fir for 130. Spreading the "branches" out was a pain in the ass, but set-up time wasn't too bad and does the job in my opinion. Looks like it'll be really easy to put away and store too.

Can send a pic of what it looks like if you'd like.
 
We’ve had multiple artificial since we left CT almost 20 yrs ago.
I would not recommend pre-lit.
Sure don’t miss those freezing, snowy, and long walks around Wrights Mill farm in search of the perfect tree
 
uconn1999 said:
We’ve had multiple artificial since we left CT almost 20 yrs ago.
I would not recommend pre-lit.
Sure don’t miss those freezing, snowy, and long walks around Wrights Mill farm in search of the perfect tree
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I don't miss my allergies acting up the whole time the tree is up.
 
We switched to artificial due to inevitable travel during December. Got an unlit tree which I prefer (the lights on prelit trees can stop working). I like stringing the lights, it shouldn't be TOO easy.
 
Balsam Hill is the best but there are some nice ones elsewhere.

We looked at some on Lowe's site ($500 or thereabouts with lighting in place) and thought there were a couple in the 8-9 foot range that looked good. One looked very good in person, very thick branches that obscured all the innards that don't look like a natural tree, but we were disappointed with the other one as it looked "thin", empty, in person.

The most critical thing to us is not being able to see through to the "trunk" of the trees (which don't look real) and the best ones have such thick outer "foliage" that you have to strain to see inside the outer branches.
 
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Bought a 8ft unlit tree from balsam hill for around $1k last year. Absolutely love the tree, looks as real as a fake could. Lots of brach tips. Definitely not a budget option, but its quality and worth the money.
 
We have been fakers since we have been together. The only drawback is after the tree is scrunched in a box or bag for 11+ months you'll have to bend branches after setting it up. I hate that part.

There is a chance we bought a low-end tree but we like it. White lights. We add three short strands of blue lights.
 
If you leave it lit a lot do NOT buy prelit. The lights will stop working long before you want to buy a new tree. String your own so the tree can last as long as u want. Also buy a bag to store it. Used to get real. Have had an artificial for about 8 years and will never go back to real. Just so much easier with the artificial as you get older. Just buy a decent one that looks good and you won't have to worry about anything for years other than replacing lights every so often.
 
2014DualCs said:
If you're looking for a cheaper route, just bought the Holiday Time 7' Pre-Lit Brookfield Fir for 130. Spreading the "branches" out was a pain in the ass, but set-up time wasn't too bad and does the job in my opinion. Looks like it'll be really easy to put away and store too.

Can send a pic of what it looks like if you'd like.
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Yeah, please do.
 
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Have a fake pre-lit tree. First 2 years were great and easy. This year 3 of 6 strands don't light up despite the fact that I've changed bulbs and fuses. We had to add 2 strings on our own to cover it up and will probably just rip all of the lights off at the end of the season.

If you go fake, don't do pre-lit and manage your own lights.
 
When we convinced our kids to visit us in Florida for Christmas several years ago we went fake pre lit tree. We got a Balsam Hill at the end of the last season we had Christmas in MA. I was a die hard never a fake tree guy but have come to really like the tree. Not having to string lights is a big like for me. Miss the smell of a pine tree but everything else is great
 
Fake trees are awful. You've given up on even trying anymore when you resign to setting up one of them. Stop being lazy and pathetic, get in your car, go cut down a tree and spend an hour or two doing something traditional and festive for chrissakes.
 
Deepster said:
Fake trees are awful. You've given up on even trying anymore when you resign to setting up one of them. Stop being lazy and pathetic, get in your car, go cut down a tree and spend an hour or two doing something traditional and festive for chrissakes.
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I tolerate it. Compared to all the 12/24 Charlie Brown trees we had growing up it’s festive.
 
Deepster said:
Fake trees are awful. You've given up on even trying anymore when you resign to setting up one of them. Stop being lazy and pathetic, get in your car, go cut down a tree and spend an hour or two doing something traditional and festive for chrissakes.
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I used to be in the real tree camp until I started pulling trees out of the house after new years with needles everywhere and the constant fear that I had an unlit torch in my living room (YES I kept it constantly watered). I also got sad throwing a dead tree on the sidewalk every year for my few weeks of enjoyment.

There are just too many good options for fake trees that look great, save a couple hundred bucks a year buying a real tree and keeping the house a lot safer.

I will never kill another tree for no good reason at this point.
 
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I have had a fake tree for a long time. My kids never had a real tree, so last year we went to a tree farm and picked out and cut one down. I wanted them to have the experience I had every year when I was a kid. Tree prices are nuts this year. $75-80 for a 7 footer at Home Depot, Stew Leonard's etc. The fake tree is coming out of the storage bag this weekend....
 
Grow and Stow trees are the way to go. We leave home for a couple weeks at Thanksgiving, so I’ve started putting up the tree the first few days of November so we can enjoy it the minute we return.

I go to the garage, get the tree, and put it up in under 4 minutes. On top of that, it’s a nice looking tree. They are pricey, but Sam’s Club has a 9’ one for $469 right now. Other sites have them starting at $1000.
 
If you're gonna go fake you might as well go the distance

Festivus_Pole.jpg
 
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