Fake Stuff

I am a fan of fake stuff for decorating.  I don't mean plastic stuff; silk is the way to go.  I like after-Christmas sales, going-out-of-business sales, inventory sales, whatever.  Real stuff is sometimes something I'm allergic to, plus just getting the stuff out and refurbishing it yearly is enough of a challenge.  I really don't want to make it from scratch every year and watch needles and leaves fall off before I'm through wanting it out.  So a live poinsettia is a nice gift to take somebody during the Christmas season, but I try really hard not to buy one for myself.  I'm not always successful, but it is really hard to toss it after Christmas and really hard to just give it greenhouse space because it is alive.