Artificial or real Christmas tree — What’s in the Spadea house?

It took a long time for me to change my Christmas mindset. I was a real tree guy my whole life.

As a kid, we'd head out into the local woods with my dad and an ax and find the right tree for the house. OK, we did that once. But we did always go to the local farm and buy a real tree.

When Jodi and I got married and started our own family, it was a priority to have a real tree. The smell, the tradition, the season. Awesome.

Then as the kids got older and it was Dad fighting to string the lights on the tree every year, the tree became less appealing.

Then there's the needle cleanup. And the impossible task of getting the lights stored so they aren't a tangled mess the next year. Enter the pitch for an artificial tree.

It took a few years, but given our travel schedule and general chaos every day, not just around the holidays, we went full circle. Although at one point I argued for no tree at all, we settled on three pre-lit gold and silver trees. It's modern, but really in the spirit of the season and since the trees look more "winter," we keep them up into February.

It's a great new tradition. How about you?

Now if you are planning on getting a real tree, there's a certain time to get it! Read what Eric Scott had to say HERE.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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