Vintage Style Tinsel Tree

This year we are being soooo untraditional.  I'm still not sure if I am ok with it.  But we DIDN'T get a real tree this year!  I love real trees, nothing compares.  I love the smell, the lights and I love their imperfections.  We always have one, well I guess we had an artificial one in Papua New Guinea and Yemen, but always in the States.  We are heading to my parent's house in Northern Cal for Christmas this year.  So, last year I bought this cute silver tinsel tree after Christmas thinking it would be a fun alternative to a live tree.  And we wouldn't have to worry about the tree dying while we are gone. 

I love the sparse branches and it feels very retro.  I have it in our dining room and it's really quite glamorous (which I am totally not) in there.   

I've been collecting vintage and vintage style glass ornaments since we first married.  My mother in law got me started.  I mostly like natural objects like pinecones, nuts and a few woodland animals, mostly in metallics and a little green and red.  These are kind of an investment. But, almost all of them were bought the day after Christmas, so they were at least 50% off. I love my fancy ornaments, and I am that awful mom that doesn't hang my kids handmade ornaments on the family tree.  I have little trees in my kids rooms, and they can hang whatever they want on them.  Anyways, I thought my ornaments would really look great on a tinsel tree.  And they do.  But, I'm still missing the lights and the  pine smell that can't be replaced. My kids are even ok with it, I'm the one that's a little bummed.  So, for now I'm sticking with the tinsel tree, but we'll see how long I last. Maybe we need just a little one. 

I got these really great ornament hooks at World Market.  They come in gold as well.

I found a few sources for some pretty good looking tinsel trees.  That champagne colored one is pretty great.

Green Tinsel // Champagne Tinsel

Silver Tinsel // Set of trees

What are your thoughts on having an artificial tree? Are you a sucker for a real tree like me, or are they just a hassle and too messy?