[Donna-501]

I bought fresh trees for years. The first year or two I bought at a nursery but after that I started buying at Publix, Home Depot or Lowes. I would always buy them right after Thanksgiving so they weren't sitting out side for a long time. I stopped buying them from Publix when they got expensive and they would only open two and you had to pick. I like a full tree and sometimes I need to see many. I have had good luck with Home Depot and Lowe's also. They are fresh and they open them until I see one I like. I haven't been buying them the last few years because two of my kids hate the smell of a real tree. I usually buy the Frazier fur but have bought the Douglas before. What I don't like about the Douglas is that some of my heavier ornaments (ceramic) are to heavy.

[pegd12]

This is Peggy D again and I answered about the Christmas trees.

We live in Spanish Village on I27 near 248 and we really like it here. Are you moving to Leesburg, FL in April? We head for home fourth week in April and come back Nov 1st or there abouts.

Good luck with the trees.

Peggy and John

[pegd12]

Sorry I meant 448. Peg

[faithfulFrank]

pegd12,
I sent you a DM.

Frank

[Punchdrunkanne]

This is so helpful! We ate moving to Clearwater next week from Alabama. We have always gotten a real tree, but I worried the warm climate in Florida would make that impossible. I already feel guilty enough, buying a cut tree, but at least alanama winters are cold enough to keep the tree happy. I would kick myself if we bought a cut tree in Florida, and it turned brown from the warm air! I think I may look into some of the southern pines or cypress options, as they are obviously more heat tolerant.
Thanks for the posts!

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

Hello all.
As most of you know, I'm currently at our main home in upstate NY, where we have snow and currently 29 degrees. Today after work we went and cut down the 12 foot Douglas Fir Christmas tree we tagged last August.

I just put it up, and it looks great and the whole house smells like Christmas. Tomorrow i'll put on the lights and ornaments. This is a tradition that we do every year that I know will have to change somewhat when we move to Florida.

On this subject, I have some questions about Christmas trees and Florida.

1) Do people buy REAL trees down there?

Yes. IMHO, anyone who has a fake tree is a communist

2) Can you get Douglas Fir trees?

Yes

3) How fresh are they?

Fresh, they truck them in from North Carolina mainly

4) How big can you find them, and what do you have to pay? (Mine was $35.00 this year...it's gone up some from previous years...)

They have roadside stands, or you can buy them at Home Depot/Lowes. A 12' tree would be upwards of $80. I usually buy a 10' and it's around 60', I usually buy a frasier fir

5) Do they last? Up here you keep your house at a constant 68 degrees..any warmer and your heating bill goes through the roof. Down there in the HEAT, do Christmas trees last??

Yes, they last

I know that life is all about trade offs, and that some of our traditions will change and be replaced with great NEW ones, but I just would like to know about Christmas trees and Florida.....I look forward to some good responses.

I'm sure Christmas will be different for you, especially like this last year when it averaged 80 degrees + the entire month of December

[90sman]

Originally Posted by Punchdrunkanne

This is so helpful! We ate moving to Clearwater next week from Alabama. We have always gotten a real tree, but I worried the warm climate in Florida would make that impossible. I already feel guilty enough, buying a cut tree, but at least alanama winters are cold enough to keep the tree happy. I would kick myself if we bought a cut tree in Florida, and it turned brown from the warm air! I think I may look into some of the southern pines or cypress options, as they are obviously more heat tolerant.
Thanks for the posts!

If you have air conditioning, then it shouldn't be a problem. I live in Key West and vast majority of people down here that I know (including my family) buy and get real Christmas trees every year. They're sold at places like Publix, Winn-Dixie, Lowe's, Home-Depot, or any "charity" places, the MARC house is one.

[lcole07]

Christmas trees in Florida? Come to Christmas Fl, they and the decorations are up all year!

[staywarm2]

I'm allergic to pine trees of any kind, so we have 2 fake trees. When we lived in SE FL, we used to put one out on the lanai and put flamingo/palm tree lights on it. Also, we hung all Florida ornaments, shells, etc. It is really cute and everyone loved it.

Here in ATL we put up only one tree under an archway and decorate one side (which shows in the family room) in the traditional theme. The other side, which faces the sunroom, we decorate as the FL tree. The grandkids get a real kick out of it every year.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by staywarm2

I'm allergic to pine trees of any kind, so we have 2 fake trees.

You need to fight through it. Fake trees are just awful, it's like celebrating satan's birthday. Take some benadryl or something.