Every year since I was a little kid we have had a "christmas" tree, or yule tree as I prefer nowadays.  It is a part of the holidays I love best, the smell of pine, the sheer beauty of the tree itself, and the symbolic ornaments I use as part of a prosperity spell for the coming year.  But as I my psychic senses have opened up more and more with practice I am not comfortable with cutting down a live tree.  (Fake trees are definitely out!)  I feel really uneasy in those tree farms where everyone is running around with saws trying to find the perfect tree, it's horrible!  

I'm considering just using some large branches, tied together, planted in a pot or something and decorating that.  The tree farm I go to used to give me scrap greens from the trees for free, but being in the business of making money they now charge for those also.  It might not have the beauty of a real tree, but at least I wouldn't feel tinges of guilt everytime I looked at it.  Does anyone in the castle have any other ideas?   I know this place is chock full of crafty, creative people!

I'm not sure what variety of pine tree it was, but it always stayed very small... my grandma had one planted in a huge pot... I think it got about 5 feet high... anyways, she'd bring it in for yule, then put it back out in the garden the rest of the year.

Funny I had this pop into my head the other day. They used to take chickenwire, cut it to the shape of a tree, mount it to a board, and put pine boughs into it, and decorate it just lie a real tree, only flat, mounted to the wall.  Made to whatever size suits your needs/space.

(You know you are still amputating here now don't ya! ) It is all in how you honor the tree you are cutting, making the cutting ceremonial, just as with you herbs and veggies in the summer. I would find some place out of the way, or go to the tree farm on an 'off time' to lessen the number of people you encounter, and ask the blessing of the tree to be part of your festivities.

I use an artificial tree...(allergic to real ones and I can't spend the Yule Season misserable with stuffed up nose and itchy eyes)

One thing you might consider is to get a rosemary bush that you prune for the Season, then use for herbs afgter the seaso is over and get another one each year.  Small and compact and useful after the season is over.

I like the idea of the rosemary bush!   I've never had one inside, and I can imagine that the smell would be wonderful on top of its festive appearance.  I might have to try that.  Normally, I'm like you, Earthmother, I use a small artificial tree because I would be shnorking all around the house with a real one.  I think I'm gonna go find a rosemary.  I'm sure they still have them in the nurseries here.

A friend of mine bought me one a few years ago for my office.  It came already decorated and smelled delightful.  Only thing is it made my eyes water so terribly that I had to move it outside.  Be sure to check on how often to water it, too.  Mine dried out rather quickly.  Could have been the heat where I had it.  The good thing is you can plant them in your garden and use them in many different ways afterwards if you like.  I like me some rosemary chicken breasts.  Yummy!  

I use the artificial tree and try to use different scents to bring in the holiday fragrance.  I sometimes simmer spices on the stove or use lightly scented candles or oils.  My favorite is a holiday punch I make in my crock pot.  It keeps it warm and it feels my home with the most wonderful aroma at the same time.

I'm off to see if I can get Target to give me the missing parts of the tree I just bought or give me another one.  But, I'm not leaving without opening and inspecting it there.   :|

I have no problem with using a real tree for Christmas.  Christmas trees are specifically grown for that purpose, there is no deforestation, unless you go off into the woods. The tree growers take several years out of their lives to produce these natural ornaments, and rely on us to help keep their business going.  I guess I'm for the local business guy/gal.  And the city that I live in, after the New Year, there is an area for people to drop their trees off to be mulched, so the tree is being returned to the earth. If you live outside the city, I'm sure you can find ways to use the tree yourself.  
I think this website will explain better
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/how_to_pick_a_g.php
One more note:  If you want to keep your tree from year to year, a norfolk pine, probably available at most local nurseries is the way to go.  Remember to decorate them with lightweight ornaments and heatless lights.

I think tree farm trees are alright.  As Novia stated above, it's all in how you honor it.  I guess it would be no different than harvesting herbs.  And you're right that we should make sure we don't just "trash" it when we are done with it.  When I was a kid, we weren't so "in tune".  We'd go out into the woods every year, find a young one, saw it down and take it home.  It was always such a festive thing for us to do.  As I got older, I realized that we weren't helping out the already sparse forests of NE WA which had been picked through by the logging industry.  I switched to the artificial tree then.  It was easier anyway.  Then, after the season was over, I didn't have to worry about the best way to dispose of it honorably.  I don't usually worry too much about scent as that just comes naturally with the stuff that goes on in the kitchen.  

The rosemary bush is a wonderful alternative.  When I sat with an elderly lady one year her daughter bought her a rosemary bush decked out for the holidays.  it looked and smelled quite lovely.

I have to admit that some people have their own reasons why they purchase artificial trees, whether for health reasons or other.  I can't complain, because there are other areas in my life that I'm not so earth friendly.

I use an artificial tree most times. a couple years we purchased a fresh on, but this year we are using the Norfolk pine we had to bring in from the outside, and had no other place to put it besides the living room.

So I got a small strand of 100 lights, and have some red and gold bows I'm going to deck him out with. He'll be very distinguished looking! LOL

I'm not one who really likes the smell of rosemary.

We have some friends that have such a small house they do not have room at all for a Tree. This year the wanted a tree so bad that they put it outside right in front of thier window, put tons of lights on iit .... it is beautiful! They can enjoy all of it from inside. (yule)