Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

--
*Drugs may lead to nowhere, but at least it's the scenic route *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At
vastly varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good
and will last long enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Why the **** bother with a ****ing xmas tree
at all when there are no little kids around ?

On Monday, 4 December 2017 14:56:04 UTC, Rod Speed wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At
vastly varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good
and will last long enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Why the **** bother with a ****ing xmas tree
at all when there are no little kids around ?

Maybe that's the very reason for having one, to attract kids. ;-0

On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:39:08 +0000 (GMT)
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last
long enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

I bought ours in Woolworths, and I would recommend it but for one
little snag ...

On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:39:08 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last
long enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Our Big Tree (6') came from B&Q the best part of twenty years ago.
Still in good working order, what they are like now is another
matter. I think you'll have to tour the sheds to see what is
available and fits your definition of "looks good". Some trees are
rather narrow at the bottom, others don't have enough branches or
brancches to the branches. IIRC the lower branches of the Big Tree
split to 3 then each of those split to 2 giving 6 ends per branch
leaving the "trunk".

And have you seen the price of a real 6' tree...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 04/12/17 14:39, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?


The main supermarkets sell multi-packs quite cheaply at this end of the
year.

http://i.imgur.com/WFaPp.jpg



--
Adrian C

On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:39:08 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Just ooi, are you religious, do you have kids coming to visit or who
is this tree actually for?

We don't really do Xmyth (aren't religious, don't have kids coming
round etc) so don't have all the Xmyth trappings to bother with (which
is good).

No tree, cards, decorations or special food to worry about. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Mon, 4 Dec 2017 15:58:45 +0000, Adrian Caspersz
wrote:

On 04/12/17 14:39, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?


The main supermarkets sell multi-packs quite cheaply at this end of the
year.

http://i.imgur.com/WFaPp.jpg

Now that's my idea of a Xmyth tree. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?


Buy a prelit LED one from say Amazon. Saves a lot of hassle.

Bah Humbug. I certainly don't. I got rid of mine to a charity shop.

If you want one, well, the thing not to do is buy one from a little dodgy el
cheapo shop or from any online vendor. Go and look at some and then decide.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Rod Speed" wrote in message
...
Dave Plowman (News) wrote
Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Why the **** bother with a ****ing xmas tree at all when there are no
little kids around ?

On Monday, 4 December 2017 15:58:48 UTC, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
On 04/12/17 14:39, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?


The main supermarkets sell multi-packs quite cheaply at this end of the
year.

http://i.imgur.com/WFaPp.jpg

Very 70s. One day such decor schemes will become desirable again, to someone somewhere. Why I don't know.


NT

On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:45:55 +0000
T i m wrote:

We don't really do Xmyth (aren't religious, don't have kids coming
round etc) so don't have all the Xmyth trappings to bother with (which
is good).

No tree, cards, decorations or special food to worry about. ;-)

I used to fetch my little tree from the cupboard, and have some nice
cheese and crackers, ginger wine and Christmas pudding. SO likes to do
gifts, decorations and a proper roast dinner with all the trimmings. I
don't mind, but it does seem a load of fuss for nothing much (apart
from supporting retailers) particularly considering the financial and
family/emotional difficulties it seems to cause for some people.

On Tue, 5 Dec 2017 21:32:23 +0000, Rob Morley
wrote:

On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:45:55 +0000
T i m wrote:

We don't really do Xmyth (aren't religious, don't have kids coming
round etc) so don't have all the Xmyth trappings to bother with (which
is good).

No tree, cards, decorations or special food to worry about. ;-)

I used to fetch my little tree from the cupboard,

Daughter had one of those for a couple of years. Came out complete
with lights and plastic baubles and was ready to go. ;-)

and have some nice
cheese and crackers, ginger wine and Christmas pudding.

I don't mind any of that and you can have it any time of the year. ;-)

SO likes to do
gifts, decorations and a proper roast dinner with all the trimmings.

Again, I don't mind eating any of that and again, you can eat it any
time of the year can't you?

I
don't mind, but it does seem a load of fuss for nothing much (apart
from supporting retailers)

Yup, we should all join in the 'Commercial spirit of Xmas'. ;-)

particularly considering the financial and
family/emotional difficulties it seems to cause for some people.

And that's the biggie for me. All the shopping panic (for others), all
the 'extra' / unnecessary expense (people buying food in like there
was a tsunami on the way) and stress it all seems to promote ... and
for what?

I do 'get' that for those people who may only get a few days off it's
a chance to see their (more extended) families but there are often
arguments about all that!

The worst bit is when you have all agreed *not* to do presents then
someone hands you one. ;-(

The Mrs used to go up to her sisters and whilst I was always invited,
even to just have the meal and bugger off again (if I wanted), I would
often enjoy the peace and quiet and beans on toast for lunch. ;-)

It's not that I have anything against any of our family, it's just
that I don't like the games, rarely want to watch what they are
watching on TV and would generally prefer to be doing something of my
own. It feels just like a waste of time and if I'm doing nothing I'd
rather be doing my own nothing. ;-)

Maybe that's why people often invite us on the grounds that they have
something for me to do ... like fix their PC or build a wardrobe. ;-)

Cheers, T i m.

On 04/12/2017 16:45, T i m wrote:
On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:39:08 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Just ooi, are you religious, do you have kids coming to visit or who
is this tree actually for?

We don't really do Xmyth (aren't religious, don't have kids coming
round etc) so don't have all the Xmyth trappings to bother with (which
is good).

No tree, cards, decorations or special food to worry about. ;-)


Oh FFS cheer up :-)

I bought one - for the first time ever this year. Really to cheer up the
generally miserable ensemble around me, and the prospect of
nephews/nieces etc descending.

To the OP, a fibre optic from CPC. Not 7', more like 4'/£20, but fine to
my uncritical eye and, therefore, the target audience.

The only slight thing is that the fibre's LED lamp shines through a
coloured motorised disc which makes an annoying rumbling sound. In fact,
the motor is fairly quiet - it's more the tree's base/motor enclosure
acts as an echo chamber.

--
Cheers, Rob

In message , RJH writes

The only slight thing is that the fibre's LED lamp shines through a
coloured motorised disc which makes an annoying rumbling sound. In
fact, the motor is fairly quiet - it's more the tree's base/motor
enclosure acts as an echo chamber.

What you need is a train set running round the tree, to drown out the
noise of the motor :-)

TBH, I can't see the point of artificial trees. Either do a Tim and
don't bother, or buy a proper tree.
--
Graeme

In article ,
RJH wrote:
To the OP, a fibre optic from CPC. Not 7', more like 4'/£20, but fine to
my uncritical eye and, therefore, the target audience.

Would look totally lost in the room, which is 32ft long with a high
ceiling. And needs to be a floor standing tree.

I've seen suitable sized articifial trees in B&Q etc which looked quite
good at about £150. Looking online, you can pay even more - but get a
longer warranty.

The other reason for asking is my car which can carry a large tree is in
having a windscreen leak fixed. So would mean having a large tree
delivered. I can store an artificial one quite easily in the cellar.

--
*Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Graeme wrote:
TBH, I can't see the point of artificial trees. Either do a Tim and
don't bother, or buy a proper tree.

Depends on how good an artificial one looks. They have improved a lot
recently.

It's also a bit of a faff finding a really nice real one in the larger
sizes. Bitter experience says you don't just buy a ready wrapped one.

--
*Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 6 Dec 2017 00:44:17 +0000, RJH wrote:

On 04/12/2017 16:45, T i m wrote:
On Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:39:08 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

Seems to be a bewildering choice of artificial Xmas trees. At vastly
varying prices. Best buy for a 7ft one that looks good and will last long
enough to pay for the extra cost over real?

Just ooi, are you religious, do you have kids coming to visit or who
is this tree actually for?

We don't really do Xmyth (aren't religious, don't have kids coming
round etc) so don't have all the Xmyth trappings to bother with (which
is good).

No tree, cards, decorations or special food to worry about. ;-)


Oh FFS cheer up :-)

The irony is that I'm actually a pretty laid back and happy chap. In
fact, I am know to give things to people when they want them all year
round. ;-)

I bought one - for the first time ever this year. Really to cheer up the
generally miserable ensemble around me,

Good luck doing that by bringing a tree *into the house*? ;-)

and the prospect of
nephews/nieces etc descending.

Well, I guess if they are young or still motivated / uplifted by such
things then it's worth it.

To the OP, a fibre optic from CPC. Not 7', more like 4'/£20, but fine to
my uncritical eye and, therefore, the target audience.

Yeah, I think a 'viable token' is worth more to those who are into it
than nothing at all. Even the silhouette of a tree made in lights on
the wall could be enough in the right setting.

The only slight thing is that the fibre's LED lamp shines through a
coloured motorised disc which makes an annoying rumbling sound. In fact,
the motor is fairly quiet - it's more the tree's base/motor enclosure
acts as an echo chamber.

Hehe. Yes, and elderly neighbour had / has one of those and it was
quite interesting to watch in the same way a lava lamp or mock
real-coal-fire might be.

Back to the serious thing for a sec ... if you aren't religious ...
*and* you don't have anyone coming round who might appreciate the
'stuff' that is associated with the seasons festivities, then all of
it is a non starter.

We don't send or care to receive cards (and that message seems to have
got across now) and we don't because:

1) We feel that if we really care for someone we should contact them
directly and potentially more than once a year. In these electronic
times, most people are doing that via email, social media or the phone
in any case.

2) Sending cards though the post is expensive these days and whilst we
can afford it, many can't (or shouldn't).

3) Cards are often covered in glitter and heavy ink / print and that
makes them less easy to recycle.

4) It is better to give the cost of the cards to a charity than buy
their cards.

5) It can be complicated, getting the postal address of people,
knowing how to spell all their names or even knowing all their names
(I was still getting a card addressed to Tim, Julie and family and
I've not been with Julie for 30 years now! I believe the card is from
some of our family but I don't know who).

Then there is the issue of getting the right card for each person and
making sure you don't send them the same as last year or that you
don't send a 'good' card to someone that might be seen by someone else
you send a cheap card to! ;-(

6) Go round any office in the new year and open the draws of many
'blokes'. What I predict you will find is a quantity of unopened cards
given to them by other members of staff and that they haven't bothered
to open or put up. This I believe is down to the fact that men are
typically left brainers and so don't have quite as much empathy as
women (who are typically right brainers, with a bit more empathy) and
who would go to the trouble of opening the card and displaying it, so
as to not upset / offend the person who gave it to them.

That brings me onto the whole 'who typically wants all the Xmyth
trappings and why' question and I think it's more often the woman in
the household?

Luckily, my 'woman', given the job of dealing with a tree, decorations
or cards herself ... equally 'CBA' so we don't. ;-)

Just as an observation ... I wonder what goes though the minds of
young children who are still 'into' the whole Xmyth thing when they
turn up at grandma and grandpas and it's the only house with a 10'
inflatable Father Xmyth in the front garden or any other obvious
decoration for miles around? shrug

Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 6 Dec 2017 08:30:37 +0000, Graeme
wrote:

In message , RJH writes

The only slight thing is that the fibre's LED lamp shines through a
coloured motorised disc which makes an annoying rumbling sound. In
fact, the motor is fairly quiet - it's more the tree's base/motor
enclosure acts as an echo chamber.

What you need is a train set running round the tree, to drown out the
noise of the motor :-)

;-)

TBH, I can't see the point of artificial trees. Either do a Tim and
don't bother, or buy a proper tree.

I can't see the point of 'bringing a tree into your house ...'!

Yeah yeah, I know it's from some bizarre tradition that someone
thought up years ago but unless there is a very good reason (today),
it's no different from the Coca Cola sponsored red father Xmyth getup?

(I understand the idea of bringing a cherry or hawthorn branch in in
the hope it flowers or looks pretty (without decoration) but most
people will fell a conifer growing in their garden rather than look at
it). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Graeme wrote:
In message , RJH writes

The only slight thing is that the fibre's LED lamp shines through a
coloured motorised disc which makes an annoying rumbling sound. In
fact, the motor is fairly quiet - it's more the tree's base/motor
enclosure acts as an echo chamber.

What you need is a train set running round the tree, to drown out the
noise of the motor :-)

TBH, I can't see the point of artificial trees. Either do a Tim and
don't bother, or buy a proper tree.

I end up having to refurbish the train motor every year, it's a pain.

In article ,
T i m wrote:
TBH, I can't see the point of artificial trees. Either do a Tim and
don't bother, or buy a proper tree.

I can't see the point of 'bringing a tree into your house ...'!

The same reason you have pictures etc on the walls. Decoration. Which is
always an individual taste.

It's also the one time of the year my place gets filled up with people.
And I'd guess more prefer to see an Xmas tree than hate it - especially if
it's not down to them to buy and decorate it. ;-)

--
*I pretend to work. - they pretend to pay me.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.