Holiday Extravaganza Contest Question 1 – AJ Hampton
Hi Everyone, and welcome to the Holiday Extravaganza! 
Today’s prize is By AJ Hampton.
Contest Question:
Live, Fake, or none? Tell us about your Christmas/Holiday Tree! Did you go out and chop your own? Did you buy it a the local tree farm? Or, did you yank it out of the box from last year and apply each branch to the “trunk” with tender loving frustration errrr care?
All prizes will be announced on 30 December.
Shapeshifter Romance 
Jessica Kennedy said,
December 15, 2008 at 7:05 am
We have a small 4.5′ fakey. But our dog doesn’t care and he pees on it anyways, which beans I got to give my first Xmas tree shower ever the other day.
Fun times. The decorations are not back on it yet. Xmas has literally been peed on this year for real and we’re all feeling it.
:*(
*lizzie starr said,
December 15, 2008 at 8:03 am
I don’t have a tree up at home since I’m gonna be gone over the holiday, but I do have a couple at work. The larger tree, which is under 2 feet tall 🙂 has some cooking related decorations–like tiny pots and pans. Today I put some gifts for coworkers under it so it’s looking pretty festive!
I have a small tree on the serving line–a frolicking bear holding up a tree made of ceramic peppermints. The kindergarteners love it ans shout out ‘candy land’ when they see it. They also like my Tinkerbell holiday window clings.
Keira from LoveRomancePassion said,
December 15, 2008 at 10:20 am
We put up a fake silver tree every year. This tree must be over fifty years old. Okay, just called my mother up on the phone to confirm its age, she says it’s from as far back as the 1950s, which would make it my grandmother’s tree originally. This tree has seen many Christmases, presents, and memories. If any tree could confirm the existence of Santa Claus it would be this tree. As time has aged the tree, branches have bent, silver twiggies have fallen off, but that only adds to its character. It isn’t Christmas until we put it up.
MarnieColette said,
December 15, 2008 at 10:51 am
I live in a tiny NYC apartment. I really don’t have a tree unless you count the 2 foot artifical desk tree I have on my end table – I have green and red lights on it with a tiny little clay ornaments. When I was growing up we always had a huge evergreen tree that we would go to a tree lot and pick out… I will have that one day again.
Pam P said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:04 am
I love a live tree but can’t deal with taking care of it on my own, so I enjoy the live ones at my sisters’ and usually haul out the fake one. Not this year though, as I’m selling my place, hopefully soon so don’t want to unpack too many things only to pack up again. I’m doing some decorating though with my snowmen collection.
Beth C. said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:12 am
Artificial all the way and of course it’s a 6-7 foot tree. Easy to take care of and doesn’t leave too much of a mess. I’ve never had a live tree, so I guess I don’t know what I’m missing. 🙂
Decorating the tree is a two step process. First all the ornaments get put on between chest and knee height because we let the kids put on the ornaments. Then after the kids go to bed, my husband and I rearrange the ornaments so they are spread out around the whole tree. And stick on some of the glass or more breakable items towards the top.
Teresa W said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:35 am
I don’t have a tree up at my place since I’ll be at my mom’s for Christmas! She has a fake one that I help her put up every year.
Colleen said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:54 am
I love real trees… the smell that fills the room… This year we found a great deal on a larger tree… it is the first time we bought a tree over 7′ tall. It is beautiful!!! Happy Holidays all! 😀
Lorri-Lynne Brown said,
December 15, 2008 at 12:08 pm
We have 8 artificial trees. My mom loves Christmas!
The main tree in the living room is 7.5 feet with all sorts of handmade (by mom of course) glass ornaments.
The dining room sports a 5 footer with crystal ornaments.
Mom’s bedroom has a 3 foot tree with a santa clause theme.
My room has a 3 foot angel themed tree.
Both bathrooms have an 18″ tree with silver and blue balls on them.
Lorri-Lynne Brown said,
December 15, 2008 at 1:10 pm
ooops – forgot the two on the fireplace hearth – 4 footers with gold and red ornaments on those.
MsValerie said,
December 15, 2008 at 1:34 pm
We’ve done all of these, well…except the cutting our own part. The last five years or so, we’ve gone to the same tree lot…great quality, helpful staff, large selection (much too large). We got a really pretty scotch pine, just about 6 feet tall. Probably won’t put much on it, certainly nothing breakable, due to new kitten. That’s a lesson once learned, always remembered.
cyclops8 said,
December 15, 2008 at 3:14 pm
We have a fake tree that’s almost ten years old. I would love to have a real tree, but it’s more economical to have a fake tree.
Cathy M said,
December 15, 2008 at 5:13 pm
We usually go to a local tree lot, but this year my son got inspired and wanted to chop down his own tree, so we made a day of it. What a blast. The laughter alone made the adventure a hit, and a wonderful memory day. Plus the tree looks gorgeous.
terryspear said,
December 15, 2008 at 6:40 pm
When I was little, my parents cut down a tree from the woods near where they lived, and got more than they bargained for. Termites!
When I was older, we lived in Florida, and not only were real evergreens too expensive to buy, the fake ones didn’t seem right. So we got a silver tree, and had one of those lights that circulated on it. 🙂
We’ve had evergreens ever since, the nice boxed kind that we can take out anytime we want. 🙂 And yes, they shed too. But no termites. 🙂
Greta said,
December 15, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Well – I don’t have one here up in Denton. When I get home to my parents house on Saturday we will put up an artifical tree then and and will probably take in down the day after Christmas.
We have cats who like to climb the tree.
Michele said,
December 15, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Artificial all the way 🙂 Tried a live tree one year and was picking needles out of my carpet for the next year, YUCK!
Shari C said,
December 15, 2008 at 8:06 pm
We have a 7′ beautiful artificial tree loaded with hundreds of lights (both colored and clear) and every possible decoration I could find made from ribbons to wood to glass and mirrors. I have decorations passed down from my relatives that I always use as they are very special to me and then I add to them as I find those that become special to my family.
Barb P said,
December 15, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hi all! We have a 12 ft live douglas fir. To be honest we usually have an artificial tree also, but I’ve been kind of sick this holiday season and couldn’t quite find the energy to put it up this year. My live tree though is absolutely gorgeous. I always put different Santa Claus ornaments on it and we even pulled out the bubble lights. Merry Christmas everyone!
Cathy said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:14 pm
My daughter and her kids are living with me and she has to have a real tree. so a 7.5
Karin said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:15 pm
It’s a fake tree at my house. We used to do real trees until we were told they could cause problems for asthmatics, which my brothers, sister, and I all are. That turned out to be a good switch because of all of my allergies as well.
Cathy said,
December 15, 2008 at 11:19 pm
My daughter and her kids are living with me and she has to have a real tree. so a 7.5 ft tree is in the living room with a 6″ angel topper. Her and the kids spent 6 hours decorating it in tons of lights and all the ornaments I have collected for 30 years. I have a 160 plus Santa collection and have put up only about 20 so far. Only another 5 tub boxes to unwrap!
Merry Christmas and Ho Ho Ho!!
Donna said,
December 16, 2008 at 12:35 am
I have one of those little desktop 2 foot trees. Anything bigger and my cat would climb it.
Larissa Ione said,
December 16, 2008 at 6:11 am
I love real, but we have had a fake for years!
Kristin M. said,
December 16, 2008 at 7:04 am
Husband and kids are all allergic to the real thing so I have a fake one. I do burn candles that smell like pine though so thta makes me feel better about it. We decorated it with christmas cards this year (last year our dog would steal the glass bulbs off and chase them around the house!!!)
Lea said,
December 16, 2008 at 7:32 am
Hi;
We have a fake tree with attached Christmas lights. But I have saved the decorations over many years and do enjoy decorating it up. I actually looks quite real when all done.
All the best for the festive season. 🙂
Sue T. said,
December 16, 2008 at 11:26 am
We get a live tree every year. For the past five years, we have gone to a tree nursery. What a difference! The tree stays fresh until after New Years…a little more expensive but well worth the cost. It is not Christmas unless I smell the scent of a pine tree in my house. 🙂
loretta said,
December 16, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I decided not to put up a tree this year since my children are grown and we are going to my son for Xmas. Everyone keeps asking where is your tree so next year I will have one.
loretta
Was Christmas Early? | Literary Escapism said,
December 16, 2008 at 1:22 pm
[…] Romance is having a Holiday Extravaganza. It looks like they are giving away a book a day and yesterday’s book was AJ Hamptons’ Harnessing the Moon. Today’s book is Deborah Cooke’s Kiss of […]
Liz C said,
December 16, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Last year we had our first live tree bought from a farm stand and this year we’re doing it again
Ilona said,
December 16, 2008 at 2:37 pm
For the last few years we have used a 3′ fake tree that has fibre optic candles. As there aren’t any young children it’s perfect for us 😀
ThatBrunette said,
December 16, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I’m a fake tree girl. I just can’t justify cutting down a tree to be used for a week (or two). We had a fake tree growing up and I got upset when my mom bought a real one.
Deidre said,
December 16, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I would love to have a live tree, but I’m too lazy. I have a fake pre-lit tree. That’s the way I roll. LOL
Deidre
Quilt Lady said,
December 16, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I have a fake tree, one of those fiber optic trees. I don’t think that I have put up a live tree but one time since I got married 24 years ago.
Angela H. said,
December 16, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Fake for me, I am way too anal. The lights and limbs have to be perfect… it saves my family stress to have a perfect fake one..they don’t have to hear me moan and complain about the imperfections..lol.
Wendy Q. said,
December 16, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I bought a small 3ft tree for my 3 year-old son so that he could put the christmas ornaments he makes at school on it. It’s fake with built-in colored lights. Every day when we get home, he wants to plug it in to see the lights.
caffey said,
December 17, 2008 at 1:34 am
Fake! (I call it a false tree, LOL). I do remember having the real trees before and the wonderful scents, but such a mess!
We have a smaller tree now. We had a big fake one but someone let out two cats out one night and the tree ended up from the living room, pass the dining room and stuck in the doorway of the kitchen/dining room totally tangled up. We ended up throwing it out like that. With our smaller tree, I watch them good during the day and at night they still locked up in our room with all their needs!
LOL
Eva S said,
December 17, 2008 at 8:33 am
We have a real tree, my sister brings one every year, it’s her Christmas present for the family.
La-Tessa said,
December 17, 2008 at 9:14 am
We have a real tree. The entire family braved the elements while my 5 year old picked out the “perfect tree” Thank goodness it literally took her 1 min to find it.
Pamk said,
December 17, 2008 at 9:56 am
we had live trees when I was younger. And after moving out we went with artificial since hubs and I lived in a trailer at the time. Not much room there.
Janet H said,
December 18, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Hello everyone. We have a potted norfolk pine. It’s about 4 1/2 foot high. This is our third year with our little pine. We decorate it with tiny balls and little bows. Ta da! Christmas tree! The rest of the year it shifts to a very ordinary, but lovely house plant.
Lindsey Ekland said,
December 19, 2008 at 4:40 am
I do not currently have the space for any tree. In the past I have put a real tree purchased from a tree farm where you walk around and cut down your own tree. Fun but more work. Hopefully next year I will be able to do so again.
Paula said,
December 19, 2008 at 5:57 am
I visit my parents during the holidays, so no tree for me. But theirs is always a real tree and I usually end up decorating it.
Carmen R said,
December 19, 2008 at 9:01 pm
My tree is fake. When my son was a newborn we woke up on Christmas day with him being covered with a rash. Turns out the runt has an allergy to Christmas trees. So that’s why my tree is fake and it’s great to have a fake tree since i have an evil kitten that seems to hate Christmas trees and knocks it over every night lol.
Alaina said,
December 20, 2008 at 9:43 pm
real!! we go to the local tree farm.. then we decorate it.. then my dog uses it as a back scratcher, then carries the ornaments around on her tail.. LOL