With confirmed allergies to pines, we took the plunge this year and bought an artificial tree.

The tree, from Target.com, was half off and is 9′ of beautiful. Normally $534.00, we got ours via Ebates.com (2% back) for $262 with the ebates rebate +$32 for the storage bag.  At $294 total, it will pay for itself in year 2.

Prelit. (Mr. Wannabe is thrilled not to angst about the lights or sawing off the bottom or watering with particular chemical concoctions  this year).

And I am glad about no spiders (EW!) or needle mess.

But, oh, the smell of a real tree…

What about that?

Scentcicles have been invented!

These super nice-smelling sticks go on your tree like ornaments and come with their own hangers.

For $6.98 at Home Depot, Scentcicles are a wonderful thing. I got Fir scent but there are others:winter pine, cinnamon, spruce, wonderful pine and snowberry.

Add a plug-in wax warmer (Bedbathandbeyond.com) with balsam-scented wax (Walmart or Scentsy from ebay.com) near your front door and Bam!

Childhood Christmas smell!

Another point: getting a “fresh” tree in downtown Houston sans pickup is hard and expensive ($249 with coupons and free shipping each year. This year, only 7 footers are available for $150 plus $55 shipping. Ouch). They come from North Carolina and usually are less than fresh because of transit time.