Decorating for Christmas is a tradition that many families appreciate. When it comes to the holiday season, it really doesn’t feel the same until the Christmas tree is in place with all the decorations intact.

What is the tradition in your family? For some people, it is going out to get a live Christmas tree every year and for others, it is putting up a fake Christmas tree that they keep stored for the majority of the year. Everybody has their own preference and in most cases, there is a strong reason why they feel that way.

Fake Christmas trees are often popular because they are less expensive, especially when you consider that you pay for them once and use them year after year. In addition, you don’t have to water the tree and you don’t have to go out to pick it up or throw it out to the curb. That being said, a fake Christmas tree is never going to have the look, feel or smell of a real tree.

A real Christmas tree takes some TLC but for many families, the smell of the pine and the experience of picking it out or perhaps even chopping down your own tree is a tradition they treasure. When you think about all the trees that end up at the curb and the cost of buying one every year, however, it really adds up. Even your pets might drink the water, which isn’t the healthiest thing for them.

One family from Irvine, CA found a way to cheat the system when it comes to Christmas trees. You might think that it was impossible but they have had the same real Christmas tree and have been using it every year for 34 years.

The family purchased a Christmas tree that was only 2 feet tall in 1983. After Christmas, they didn’t want to throw the tree away so they repotted it and have kept it ever since.

The tree looks a little strange because it was trimmed to the top so it wouldn’t touch the ceiling. After it was trimmed, it stopped growing taller and started growing wider.

There is something to be said about the imperfections of most Christmas trees. This family was able to reuse the same real Christmas tree every year and regardless of whether it is perfect looking or not, we know that they feel it is perfect.

To learn more about how the family has used the same tree every year, watch this video: