As a child we always had realy trees, my mother would spend hours decorating the tree making it look beautiful for all the pines to have fallen off way before xmas day, i never was a big fan of these other than the smell and the smell can easily be replicated with a pine smelling air freshner.

After leaving home we always had artificial trees, decorated them with lights each year, baubles and tinsel then after christmas packed them away into the loft untill next year, eventually as trees advanced we brought fiber optic trees so had no need for lights they just needed a few bits of tinsel to look great.

Two years ago i was discussing trees with a friend of mine who always has a real tree, i was told they are treated now so dont loose there needles as quickly so gave one a try, it cost me £40 for a real tree which is roughly the same as i would have paid for an artificial tree that would have lasted me years, the needles she and it was balding by xmas day, i wasnt impressed it will be artificial trees in our house from now on.