[ellenmelon]

Real as long as we can do it barring allergies and other inconveniences. We have had hatches too!

I spray/spritz our tree with water to keep it moist and decorate it a few days before Christmas. We cut the tree early before the cold and slush, slice off a piece of the trunk too, mount and then enjoy the fragrance.

The tree comes down usually New Year's Day or Eve or whatever. Only once when I was rooming with a friend did we leave the tree up until March. By then it was so dry neither of us girls wanted to touch it!