For as long as I have been married, not married, and married again, I have always had a "REAL 1". My parents have had the replica trees for as long as they have lived in Fla. (1964)
The way I see it, it is just as much work taking down the plastic fake, when you consider dis-assembly, boxing it up so it still fits in the original box, and putting the damn thing away so you can find it next year under all the crap that gets piled on top; as putting up the "Real 1".
If you go the replica route, you take away all the fun of arguing with the wife as to which one is better, fuller, fresher, taller, let alone which make to buy (Scotch, Douglas, Frasier. etc., etc.)When I'm done I just wrap it up and out to the road it goes, lights and all. Screw 'em, they're only good for one year, and it is our civic duty to help feed all those starving kids in China anyway. Really pi$$ed me off this year, trying to reuse those damn pieces of crap, for the outside decorations. It took me all of 5 minutes to toss those sum *****es out too.
No matter how you look at it, it's still a pain in the a$$ putting anything up, only to take it down a couple of weeks latter.
I'm with Evan on this one - I've got a "REAL 1"
TL
BAH HUM BUG