I'm not ashamed of our fake tree. Was my wife's grandmothers tree that she hadn't put up in years. Was collecting dust in the attic till we were offered it after looking at the going rate for fake trees.
Ours goes up usually the first week of December, and comes down mid January. I like the fake tree, not having to water it, or the cats climbing it. We decorate it with gingerbread cookies that we make and decorate as a family. Icing gets piped on and/or egg wash to hold glitter on. We have a variety of shapes too from angels & bells to mittens, Santas, & all sorts of other holiday/winter themed cookies. We make holes with a straw in the dough before baking, then decorate & thread them with yarn pieces to make loops & the tree is filled with probably 4-5 dozen gingerbreads. White lights, artificial strands of wooden cranberries & real popcorn threaded with fishing line adorn our tree. We mix in a few bulbs & of course the sentimental ornaments like one with our wedding anniversary, & the girls both have babies first Christmas ones too.
We leave undecorated cookies at dog nose height & below as well as decorate extra cookies "just in case". My wife's family did it for years & we kept the tradition going.