Maybe I'm just old, but I like traditional trees.

And, the black tree of Europe seems *so* in keeping with their increasingly anti-Christian views.

How crazy! I'm old fashioned too! For the past few years we used artificial Christmas trees to save money. Now that God got us out of debt, we're going for a real one this year! I'm excited. Can't wait to take the kids, especially my five year old to pick out that special tree. You'll have to give me all the taking care of/how to pick live tree tips. It's so nice to see your beautiful, smiling, honest face!

I kinda like the black trees, but I doubt my wife would go for it. My daughter would love it though...

Actually, I would be much happier if I didn't have to mess with a stupid tree at all. When it comes to pagen based traditions, Halloween is fun, but Christmas trees and Easter eggs I could live without.

Oh Ken, you're too much.

I knew someone who had a special closet that they rolled their decorated Christmas tree in and out of. Covered it with plastic when not in use, and boom, there's the tree.

I Paula!!!!! Nice to see you. Hope all is well.

Bill, that was my first thought as well.

Funny, I was thinking how well it'd match my decor. LOL It's a little far out for even me... and I tend to be out there. We don't do the real ones, either... we'd burn the house down forgetting to water it, for one. And two -- ooh boy they don't mix with my allergies!

"And, the black tree of Europe seems *so* in keeping with their increasingly anti-Christian views."

I wonder if, in France, they're going to decorate their black trees with the famous French battle flags.

http://members.fortunecity.com/gogodncr/frenchflag.JPG

Stacy, we have FOUR trees in our homestead at Christmas. One very large (12' or so) real tree for the family room; one 8' artificial tree for the landing (which can be seen from the street); and 4' artificial trees for the kids' rooms.
I do a lot of cussin' in early December, 'cause I'm the one who tests and puts up the lights. And it never fails that a set or two that I've tested decide to quit just after I've put 'em on the tree.
Pax!

Bob, from my first child's first Christmas we always had a tiny little artifical tree in the nursery....as the three children got older they would color cut-out paper Christmas decorations and I would put them up. Each decoration they made had a name and year on the back.

Then in nursery school they would make the "macaroni" decorations sprayed in gold and they would also go up.

That hodge-podge tree covered with THEIR HOMEMADE ornaments always meant more to them than the "perfectly" decorated one I had for the Christmas celebration.

It served as a reminder for me what was important.

That "special closet" idea sounds pretty cool. Then at least I wouldn't have to mess with decorating the silly thing more than once...

BTW - that upside down tree kinda looks like a sparkly thong...

A thong?

Or maybe just some nice bikini bottoms...

Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination...

I purchased a black artifical xmas tree in Montreal, Quebec around 10 years ago I decorated with peach roses and white lites and it look beautiful and now I passed the tree onto my daughter and she decorated it last year and this year and it is the only one I ever saw around here. (West Columbia, South Carolina) I like it very much because I think it is original and no one else has one.