Tuesday, November 25

Where my trees at?

Okay, I am on the search for a tree this year. A cheap tree. A fake tree. Because a) I have no interest in cleaning up after a live one and b) Tim's allergies would be aggravated.


About 7 years ago, I got my very own full-sized tree. It was an exciting time. I'd never had a full-sized tree, since my dad grew up Jewish, my mom grew up Baptist and neither were practicing.


About two years later, my house had a fire. Ever since (except for last year, when I procrastinated too long and never put up the tree), I have dutifully put the thing together and taken it apart -- each time ending up with soot-covered hands.


Given that Tim's asthma is finally on the rebound -- with quitting smoking and a new kind of inhaler -- I decided it would be smart to get a clean tree.


But as I peruse the pre-Black-Friday sales and the previews of the actual BF sales, I notice a distinct lack of (cheap) fake tress that would satisfy me.


What I do see are an awful lot of pre-lit trees.


Why do people like these so much that they are willing to pay around $100 more for the darn things?!


The tangle of holiday lights never bothers me. So perhaps I'm just not the right person to understand. All I know is that this trend seems like a strange one to me.


After all, what do you do when the lights burn out? Can you replace them? Or is it planned obsolescence? If so, retailers are getting positively Machiavellian.


It wouldn't bother me so much, but in the last few years, I could swear the darn things are taking over! There are fewer and fewer non-pre-lit trees (naked trees?) in the ads.


It's a bit dismaying how much harder it is to find basic anything. The trees just seem like an excellent example. All the BF ads seem to feature "great" deals on fancy gadgets: large, plasma TVs, GPS devices, digital cameras, and computers -- all slightly less overpriced than normal. But still too expensive for consumers in this economy.


Though I fear that may not stop as many as it should.


I don't know about you, but I'll be very interested to read the papers on Monday to evaluate how sales actually went on the big day.


Until then, I will be scouting for some naked trees.

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8 Comments:

Blogger M.Brayfield said...

We got our little fake tree at Family Dollar for twenty dollars or less, if you've got one around you. And it's naked.

November 25, 2008 at 10:21 PM

 
Blogger Abigail said...

Thanks, M.! I don't think we have "Family Dollar" but I will check out the local dollar stores. I plan on keeping my eyes peeled.

(And for commenting, I wanted to be sure you know you're entered for this week's giveaway!)

November 25, 2008 at 11:41 PM

 
Blogger DogAteMyFinances said...

I got a stunning (fake) tree in late January last year. It's exactly what I wanted.

Before then, to actually make it through Christmas, I bought a cheap one on amazon. It came in looking a lot sparser than I had hoped, but it did the job. I actually have fond memories of that tree.

I'd check craigslist for used ones too.

November 26, 2008 at 6:19 AM

 
Blogger The J said...

I always thought decorating the tree was the second best thing about the season (fresh cookies/squares/cakes being the best ;) ) - and the only way my Dad got involved was getting the tree, putting the lights on, then adding the star at the top once everything else was done. It makes me feel all "grown up" to put the lights on my own tree.

No pre-lit trees for me, thank you very much.

November 26, 2008 at 6:56 AM

 
Blogger Abigail said...

Amen, J! I have always loved decorating the tree.

DogAteMyFinances, Craigslist is a good idea. I'll definitely have to check it out.

November 26, 2008 at 10:02 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I got a pre-lit tree at an after-Christmas sale and put it up the next year. It was just great! But the next year, I put it up, plugged it in, and one whole section wouldn't light. My husband, who was a licensed electrician at the time, couldn't get that &@$#% thing to work. I can't afford another one, so I have to doctor it up by putting one string on that section. Torques me right off.

Dory

November 26, 2008 at 4:03 PM

 
Blogger Alane said...

I actually don't mind the lights Walmart and Lowes both have good prices on black Friday for 6 1/2 foot prelit both under $50. I need a new one. My old one was prelit with white lights and I add my favorite colored lights to it. Looks prettyneat.
P.S. Got the link to your site from your mom the other day and am loving your blog.

November 26, 2008 at 4:51 PM

 
Blogger Easy Dish said...

Naked trees. hee-hee-hee. This phrase will be in my head throughout the holiday season. My 3-year-old Molly would call them that. This from the girl who wanted to know how fried shrimp got in their "costume" (i.e., the breading).

"O Naked Tree, O Naked Tree, how barren are your branches..."

That said, not sure where to get thrifty tree this time of year. They're almost literally a dime a dozen in thrift stores in summer, or retail stores in January.

You may not remember (or have been aware) the year there were NO christmas trees in Anchorage. Either 1998 or '99. Permits for cut-your-owns in Chugach Nat'l Forest (and on base) were sold out, lots were fresh out of fresh trees, and all stores -- even Carr's where they cost a FORTUNE,-- were out of fakes. Randy I "built" one from fake green garland and my artist's easel. It was, well, weird. But fun!

November 28, 2008 at 2:15 PM

 

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