It will be time to decorate them in a couple of short weeks....

Ours from last year:

Real trees are the best. Either ceder or pine. They just need more care. But they're usually front and center in people's living rooms, so it's hard to miss them.

I agree, Francine! I LOVE cedar trees, MAN, they smell so good! And they're not expensive--the one in the picture was from a tree farm and cost $12 I think...well worth it..

Yes, artificial trees are no fun. They come in a box, when it's more fun to go and get one from a farm or seller, wherever, and take it home. I also think that they look prettier for some reason once all the decorations go on also.

Tree killers.

The trees died for a good cause.

Oh Dave... ...that's what Holt calls me too...but we had an artificial tree for years and years and the dang thing is gettin' old to me. I rationalize the whole real tree experience by telling myself that at least we get it from a farm and not out in the wild..and the kids have fun picking one out. Okay, that's all I got...I AM a tree killer...

I am too... well, not directly, but indirectly.

At least we can say that we know the trees can't feel pain or anything. At the very least, we are making the best of Christmas time, which is an amazing time of year. Artificial trees go in the garbage and to landfills and don't decompose well. They're bad for the environment.

Besides. Trees that die go to tree heaven where they'll be 1000 times happier. So we're doing them a really big favor by killing them.

See... Christmas trees aren't really dead!

I like real trees, too. I'm going to let you in on a secret. They are a HUGE PITA. Ya have to pick them out. You have to lug them around. you have to tie them to the top of the car/make sure they don't blow out of the truck bed. you have to lug them around some more. You have to make sure they're watered. You have to test the needles to make sure they aren't drying out too much. You have to take them down and lug them around again. Artificial trees are more convenient... and every guy is all about the convenience.

I love real trees and can't see ever having artificial. Part of the fun is picking it out on a cold day.

I love and prefer real trees, however we do own and alternate using an artificial tree...since this will be the first Christmas that our 3 year old is really aware of, we are going to try to make this a real tree year.

... and every guy except Rob and the other auto-contrarians who will post after this is about convenience.

Yes, it is. I prefer to let guys take care of all the hard work, taking care of the trees... so it's really convenient for me.

Not every guy.

I would love to use a real tree; it's so much nicer and makes the Christmas experience even better. However, my daughter and I are both highly allergic, which makes an artificial tree a necessity.

That sounds nice. I hope you and your family have a great Christmas, Dan.

We don't have a tree, we have an Erector Set.

I'm so sorry to hear that, Kevin. But at least you have a tree. Even if it is made with artificial flavors.

Low maintenance of the artificial. I had real trees for the last 12 years or so, but it just got too time consuming picking out a real one.

Even lower maintenance of not having a tree at all. It feels great.

Aw, where's the fun in that, Hanzo?

picking the tree, having to go through a million before the wife is satisfied, decorating it, thats all part of the fun and tradition of Christmas for me.