Pre-Lit or Bust!

I'm not sure when it happened, but we no longer have a choice with artificial Christmas trees. Last year, hubby and I decided to "retire" our 10 year-old tree and invest in a new one. We've been on the hunt for a couple of weeks, now and it seems that you can get pre-lit with clear lights or pre-lit with colored lights. Those are your choices...well, aside from buying a live tree. Believe me, I love live trees. I would get one every year if I could; however, because of the animals and children in my house, it's much more practical to have an artificial. I also am a firm believer that the holidays officially begin on Black Friday. Even though I'm not driving around in that madness, I believe it is the day the tree should be erected along with any and all decorations for the home. Call me sentimental and pushy.

There are a few (very few) places that still carry "unlit" trees and they are branded as such. I say branded because they are categorized as if they are the "Spawn of Satan" trees that nobody wants. They're not marketed well on the sites and they're usually frail and skimpy looking (Think of A Charlie Brown Christmas. These trees will need love and then some to look decent enough to display in your home). I really don't want to give in the fad. I didn't give in when all those god-awful fiber optic trees were everywhere, either (do they still make those?). Nothing against fiber optics. I just think a tree should look like a tree in as much as an artificial tree can look real, without looking like it belongs on the Vegas strip.

I did find one site, Balsam Hill, that sells the most beautiful, artificial trees I've ever seen! They even have my coveted unlit trees and they don't make them out to be the red-headed step children of the site. Unfortunately, I think I'd have to live on the "East" side to afford a tree like the ones displayed here. Even the sale trees are mortgage worthy!

I'll keep scouring the city for an unlit tree that doesn't resemble a twig and doesn't have a million lights already soldered on, but I'm beginning to loose hope. If we cave, we'll cave for a tree with clear lights...then maybe retire that one when unlit trees become fashionable again.