This post should really be called, ‘Now I’m a believer …’
You see, this is our family’s first fake Christmas tree. And that’s a big deal. A bigger than big deal. A HUGE deal.
Because we’re a hard-core-don’t-even-think-about-trying-to-sway-us real tree family. Falling pine needles and all …
For me, it dates back to the horrible faux trees of my youth. Oh, we begged and begged our parents to let us get a real tree. Year after year after year …
But our pleas always fell on deaf ears. And each year my dad would haul that terrible fake tree out of the attic.
Shudder.
But then Ace Hardware asked me to pick a holiday product for a review and I chose a fake Christmas tree …
huh? That doesn’t sound like me at all …
But when the amazing folks at Ace gathered their blogger panel together here in Chicago back in October …
and spent the day with us touring some of their stores …
the faux Christmas tree display kept catching my eye. Specifically, the 7-1/2ft Clear Prelit Somerset Instant Shape PineTree. And, without consulting the family, I made the executive decision to get a fake Christmas tree. For review purposes only, of course …
And when I asked my son to help me carry the box inside from the car, he did have a minor freak out that we wouldn’t be getting a real tree this year …
but I assured him we would too. That this year we would not just have one, but two Christmas trees in our home!
{the idea to hang the snowflake from the ceiling is not mine; I 100% copied this idea from this amazingly creative and talented blogger}
Now on to the product review. Which is short. And sweet …
we love it. Love it. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. IT!
One and all. Unanimously.
This tree was so easy to put together. I did it myself in less than 15-minutes. And that included opening the box and reading the instructions.
Oh, and no tools were needed.
Oh, and it’s pre-lit …
can you say heaven?
And now Ace Hardware wants to give you a $100 gift card to help with your own holiday decorating. You may even want to purchase your very own faux Christmas tree …
I highly recommend the 7-1/2ft Clear Prelit Somerset Instant Shape PineTree. 😉
Good luck!
This post was written as part of my partnership with Ace Hardware as a member of the Ace Blogger Panel. However, any and all opinions are my own.
Sharing:
* Between Naps on the Porch * Skip to My Lou * Savvy Southern Style * The DIY Showoff *
Looks stunning!
I’m all about the real trees 🙂 I love the smell! 🙂
I would prefer a real tree but we have a pretty little artificial one.
Both! Real for the main tree and a smaller artificial one that I put in the kitchen for the grands to decorate. Would love to win a new one!
I like the Snow theme, beautiful,
and the tree looks so real. I will have to check into a artificial tree.
WOW; sure could use that gift card. Thank U 4 this wonderful giveaway opportunity.
Your tree is gorgeous and like your tree topper coming down from the ceiling.
We have used the ‘real’ fake tree (not the prelit ones) for years due to the fact that our daughter was allergic to the real ones so to this day we are still using the fake tree and stringing on 7-100 lite set strings.
ColleenB.
Texas
I love real trees, but we switch off depending on the year! Hubby doesn’t want a real one due to the ease of the fake one!
I was a real tree person until 2 of my kids turned up allergic to pine trees about 10 years ago! Arghhhh… now I’m a fake tree person that lights a candle that smells like a real tree. 🙂
Thanks for hosting, Linda!
xo Heidi
We always had a real tree and made a day of it by going to the tree farm and cutting it down, until my boys became too old to do that and I got tired of all the needles. We now have an artificial tree – pre lit and I LOVE it. I can put it up early and take it down when I want.
We love our pre-lit tree but it is time to get another one. Thanks for the opportunity.
We always had a real tree until the kids were all grown and we became empty nesters. Now a fake tree is much easier for us. Love the Snowflake tree. It’s beautiful!
It’s beautiful!! We got our first fake tree last year and we did put it up this year, though I was very tempted to go back to real!
Personally I like faux trees.
We’ll do either, but I love your Snow Tree!!! Just beautiful….
Stunning tree, tastefully decorated. I too am a convert to artificial pre-lit trees. With fond memories of cutting our Christmas trees and carrying them through the snow, I still am a convert. I now put up multiple trees and can’t imagine having to string all those lights. Change is not always bad.
Pinned and tweeted! Love the tree–we have to have fake because my son is allergic to fir. And having pre-lit is such a bonus.
Lovely tree. Linda gerig
we do a pre-lit faux tree & love it so easy!!!
I am a fake tree person…love the reals, but the ease of the fake has converted me! Especially since so many of them look so real! 🙂 Including yours!
I love my faux, pre-lit tree. No needles!! You did a fabulous job of decorating yours!!
I’m a convert. Grew up with a fake tree and my husband wouldn’t have it. Now I LOVE a fresh tree!
We were using a fake xmas tree for the longest time before switching for the real thing.
I “used” to have one of each, till my daughter was married and asked if she could borrow our fake tree that year. It lives at her house now, but if she ever got her own I could get mine back.
You freaking read my mind! I have been kicking around the idea if getting a fake tree, but I want a white one, and letting my kids have the real tree. I despise decorating the tree with them. For me, it’s a ritual. For them it’s a race. And I’d love to be able to hang all my heavy glass ornaments. They’re too much to feel safe on a real tree. Especially considering ours has fallen over the last two years in a row.
The Other Marian
ACE is the place … and I’d rush right down there to pick up my beautiful tree just like yours. Our tree is several years old and is starting to show her age. Maybe a new beaut would be in our future. Thank you so much. Oh – and I think I’d borrow the tree topper, too!
They each have their merits, so I like both. I think real ones have the best smell though!
I am currently a fake tree person, due to being an empty nester, whereas, we had previously had real trees while our kids were growing up. I think your tree is lovely!
I love our pre-lit Christmas tree. Unfortunatey, its on its last leg. We’ve had it about 10 years.
I like real Christmas trees
We have an artificial Christmas tree too and I love the convenience. Your tree looks beautiful 🙂
I love real trees.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Entered the rafflecopter form as “Wild Orchid”
wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com
Tree looks gorgeous! We’re also in the market for a new tree and pre-lit is definitely the way to go!!
LOVE IT!!!
We do a real Christmas Tree!
I am on the fence. I just need a tree. Any tree in our home. Hopefully soon.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I grew up with a fake tree and I like it because there is no mess and the branches are sturdier, but since I’ve been married, we’ve always gotten a real tree.
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Beautiful Tree! We have fake trees but I’m ready for a real one next year. We will have two trees as well.
I am a real tree person.
Linda,
Hey rock star! Thank you so much for the shout out! My trees thank you, too! Love your tree and what a fun giveaway!
Have an awesome day!
karianne
I love my fake tree also … bought it on sale after Christmas 3 years ago and it takes me all of 10 minutes to put up. Best of all, no more fighting with tangled strands of lights!
Love the white!
I’d rather have a fake one you don’t have to replace year after year.
I love the snowflake dangling from the ceiling as the topper. Please pick me for this giveaway. I need new ornaments and a tree topper.
Definitely a real Christmas tree person!
I love your tree! I’ve always wanted to do a theme tree, but all our ornaments have so many memories. It’s fun when my daughter and I go through the boxes. I have a prelit tree (I’m allergic to pine) and have been telling my parents to get one – they need one…. we laugh every year at how long it takes my dad to put the lights on – I guess another good memory. Thanks for opportunity from ACE!
We always do fake trees due to allergies and the fact that we leave it up for so long! Yours is beautiful!!!
i grew up with a fake tree but my husband loves real trees.
I love real trees, but I do have to admit that the fake one is much easier to clean up after. No needles, no sap and no suprise bug infestations (yes, this did happen one year). Either way, bring it on. I am ready to decorate!
I am a realtree person (real Christmas tree).
A fake tree person.
I’ve always been a fake tree gal!
I’ve always had an artificial tree….it would so wonderful to have a REAL one~one day!!
purposedrivenlife4you at gmail dot com
I am a Fake tree person
I’m actually allergic to real Christmas trees, so I can’t have one in the house. We’ve had a fake one since I was a child.
We are fake tree people. I only have a small one.
Beautiful tree — love the all white, makes my heart sing!
Very beautiful! Love the lights and all the white ‘snow!’
We used to be real but now we are fake (for this year at least) because my husband says “I just bought this house and I’m not ready to burn it down yet.”
I love real trees but fake is just so much easier
I love the fake trees…makes the holidays easy.
I like real ones best but fake ones last for years. I have had both through my life….either would make me happy!
We have 2 pre-lit artificial trees – my husband was tired of me complaining about putting the lights on! One is in the family room for our enjoyment and one in the living room so folks driving by don’t think scrooge lives at our house!! 🙂
That is a beautiful tree!!
I love both, but my daughter is allergic….so we go fake 🙂 Very worth it! Love your post!
ninigossett at gmail dot com
i absolutely adore real trees but my family always uses a fake one. But they’re all beautiful! c: Anything for Christmas! such a beautiful tree!
Even though I love real, I have to use a fake tree due to allergies in my house.
I’m a fake tree person because they are easier.
since it is just me and my husband, we don’t really decorate – but should probably start
. but i grew up on fake trees (and lived in ohio) and my husband grew up on live trees (and lived in florida) – seems backwards. his mom would put a different tree and theme in each room of the house so he had a LOT of trees growing up.
Real, all the way. But that tree is beautiful.
We have started the tradition of cutting down our own tree, but the tree you’ve posted above is quite beautiful. 🙂
Real! I love the smell of the real tree making the house festive.
I use a fake tree but I prefer a real one.
I love both and have used both, but my faux trees outnumber the real deal. Love your tree!!
I’ve had both and we have gone back to a real tree the last 3 years.
Real 🙂 but was gifted a fake, so that’ll do for now 🙂
I love the smell of real Christmas trees and I love picking out the perfect one, but there are so many beautiful fake trees out there and it’s nice that you can put them up every year, so I like both!
I prefer the term “artificial” lol… your snow tree is beautiful!
I love real Christmas trees and the way they smell reminds me of the real trees I had growing up. Now I have fake trees because hubby grew up with them and says it’s easier to manage. I will have a real tree again maybe next year, I’m planning already 🙂
I love my real Christmas trees!
I am a fake Christmas tree person 🙂 I am allergic to real.
It looks like Fairyland!
I love real trees, but we decided to finally buy a fake one a couple years ago. That way, we don’t have to ask anyone to help us haul it home or have to spend extra money every year.
Fake all the way – prelit at that! Easy-peasy.
Real…because it smells so great!
Real in the LR and fake in the den
Love the snow theme for the tree, awesome!
Karen U
Love the snow theme for the tree, awesome! We’e gone back to fake this year.
Karen U
I’ve always been a real Christmas tree fan… I’m seeing so many really cool DIY versions on Pinterest this year, that I may try it next year (ie: lights on the wall in the shape of a Christmas tree or a tree-shaped mobile.)
Thanks for a chance at the giveaway! Happy Holidays!
It took a long time before taking the leap, but now I’m a believer too!
Real! But I have been considering a fake tree for environmental reasons…We shall see next year!
Fake all the way!
Fake! I need a new fake tree badly!
We have an artificial tree that we bought a couple of years ago and it’s “pre-lit” Problem is that half the lights don’t light anymore, so we spent 2 hours taking off the old lights and stringing new lights. But we are keeping it anyway. This year we put that tree in the dinning room window and we are going to a choose and cut farm to get a real one THIS Saturday! I can’t wait – it has always been a dream of mine to do. Can’t tell you how excited I really really am! But I could use the gift card to decorate that big guy!
It’s absolutely beautiful Linda!! We still do a real tree but we have 4 fake ones in our house too. Do you think I have a tree problem? 😉 I’m having fun catching up on all of your latest happenings and always love seeing all of your awesome projects. Hope you are have a blessed season my friend!
Vanessa
Love it, pinned it 🙂
We’ve only ever had fake! Real might be nice…but probably a pain to clean up. 🙂
Artificial, due to the convenience.
Sorry, previous comment has my old email. This one is correct!
With young children I really like a fake Christmas tree.
We’ve always had a real tree but I think we will be moving to a fake tree soon.
Fake – a good one will look just as nice as a real one!
Real for sure!
I am a real tree person!
I have always had a fake tree.
Last year was our first with a fake tree because it seemed easier to set up than the LL Bean base we’d been using. It was easy—once we figured out what the directions were telling us—but I missed the real-tree smell. I added a real garland to the mantle this year but it’s not enough.
Last year was our first year with a fake tree and I think I may be a convert, no needles everywhere and reqy ires no watering!
ALthough they are a lil more work & a mess lol, I am a REAL tree kinda guy:) I love the Douglas or Frasier fir the best!
Your decorations/tree are all so beautiful! thanks for the chance to win!! Love your blog!
Joey J.
We have always had artificial trees because of allergies.
Fake, I like to take it out of the box with lights, ready to go
I like them both, but I prefer fake. Nowadays they look so real, plus there’s no need to water it or clean up the mess it leaves behind.