Real one in a pot growing outdoors. Bring it in every other year... it's a bit scabby but still alive. Mother bought it as a 12in table top plant about 10 years ago covered in artificial snow and trashy ornaments, now it's a 4ft tree. Covered it in black cherries and popcorn year... the candlelight reflecting softly off a pound of juicy black cherries is beautiful.

Also have 3 artificial trees now.. Bratling persuaded me to buy a vile 4ft fibre optic one, that has the most disgusting range of colours. I have a tiny 8in one for my work desk, and now I have a 2ft inflatable one in luminous green. My workstation has about 20 plants around it, one of which (Devil's Ivy) stretches about 6ft, so that's going to get the tinsel treatment.

LTS