In an article at The Daily Progress, some guy named James H. Gilmore said:

Q: How does the notion of "real" and "fake" apply to Christmas?

A: If you analyze the [Christmas tree] industry, the folks who grow natural grown trees are actually seeing a 20 percent decline in sales. They have an association called the National Christmas Tree Association. They do not accept manufacturers of artificial trees. Because of the declining market share, they tried to forestall that. Naturally grown Christmas trees are just fake. They're grown in rows, trimmed, injected with preservatives sometimes and painted green. If they don't like it, they call it fake. If they like it, they call it faux. If you can transition from a perception of a fake to faux, you've rendered authenticity. The opposite of original is imitation. There are two different ways families celebrate Christmas. Some people won't do anything else except stay home and do the same thing. Others ask where they're going to go this year.

What a weirdo. First of all, sales of trees have actually gone up 45% in the past 5 years. Second of all, because they’re grown in rows, that makes them a crop, not fake. I guess corn, grapes and apples are fake too because they’re grown in rows. Third, and most bewildering, he thinks trees are injected with a preservative. Huh? I can’t even fathom what he thinks that is. This article wins the “????” award so far this year.

2007 Season
11/29/07 - Water, Water & 73 Years
11/26/07 - Pricing, Trees for Troops
11/23/07 - Prices, Flocking, Ideas?, Cedar
11/21/07 - More Fake Tree Nonsense!
11/08/07 - Fake Tree Nonsense!
10/23/07 - New for 2007 & Beyond

2006 Season
12/19/06 - Smells, Types and CBS Morning Show
12/15/06 - T4T Thank You; Questions!
12/12/06 - Smells, Sprays, Trimming
12/08/06 - Trees 4 Troops Update
12/06/06 - Watering; Cutting the Top
12/02/06 - Trees 4 Troops Update
12/01/06 - Trees 4 Troops Underway
11/25/06 - Split Tree Trunk
11/22/06 - A Living Tree
11/18/06 - No Fakes; Big Tree Stands
11/10/06 - Back to a Real Tree
11/07/06 - Narrow Trees for Condos
10/31/06 - Some Stories...
10/19/06 - The "Holiday Tree"?
10/06/06 - A Year's Worth of Work

2005 Season

3/18/06 - Spring Work; Starting a Farm
12/30 - Christmas Tree Fires #%?!
12/23 - Christmas Funnies
12/21 - Bird Flu Vaccine
12/18 - Contest Entry
12/16 - Cats, Shearing & Helicopters
12/15 - Don't Be A Fake
12/14 - Water Level; Politics
12/13 - Smelly Tree; Mail Order
12/12 - Interesting Questions
12/09 - Watering; Longevity
12/06 - Allergies
12/03 - Trees for Troops
12/01 - Hot Water for Trees?
11/30 - Colorants
11/29 - More Pets; Trees for Troops
11/28 - Pets & Trees
11/27 - Flocking
11/26 - First Blog Entry
  When to Buy a Real Tree
  Real Tree Care
  White House Tree; Grand Champions

Hi,
I've been doing some reading on your site related to shearing of trees and the angle at which this is done. In our home we have the height space for a 10 ft tree, but we don't have the horizontal room for it to be 8ft wide at the base. From our past experience, most trees at our local tree retailers will not be more narrow. Do you have any experience with people shearing a wider tree to fit their space? I guess this would cause alot of blunt ends at the end of the branches, right? Any advice on how to disguise that?

hmmm...well, yeah. Pruning off branches will make it look...well...pruned. Like a shrub instead of a tree. I suppose if you got desperate you could "shave off" one side only and then put that against a wall to leave the full side showing. I'd first recommend though that you shop around for a tree shaped the way you want. You might check with local farms, call ahead and ask them if they have many trees sheared at a 60 or 50 degree taper. Or ask if they have trees graded "cull"...they'll know what that means. Those trees will be "skinnier". Also, check with more lots. Bigger lots tend to have more variety in species, sizes and shapes. I face the same issue, since I live in a 150 year old renovated row house in the city. It's only 10.5 feet wide total, so I get a skinny tree each year too. If you can't find a local farm or lot that has the perfect tree for you, there's always the online ordering option. I do this every year, and just put in the notes on the order page "need a 60 degree taper 5 foot tree."

Can you resolve this mystery? Are the magazine people removing half the branches from Fir trees?

The open/sparse look is dependent somewhat upon the genetics of the tree, but mostly through the shearing practices of the grower more so than species. The more open, less dense look is starting to become more popular among consumers, so the Christmas Tree farmers will be working to meet that demand, however the average tree takes 7 to 10 years to get to 6 or 7 feet high and the majority of consumers still want a full, thick tree. Check with farms and bigger lots in your area and ask them if they have a "less sheared" tree or one that "would be graded a cull". The grower will understand what you are looking for.

Thank you very much. I found one before seeing your response and yes, it was deemed a cull, but -- it is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks and happy holiday to you.

Glad to help Debbie. Keep the questions coming.