We bought a little 4-foot artificial tree with lights, in a planter vase from Pier 1 Imports a few years back. It's a nice decorative little Christmas tree that doesn't take up a lot of room.
It's not nearly as nice as the artificial tree we used to have, but it is a nice go-between for those of us who no longer want to deal with the hassle of putting a bigger tree up and taking it down two weeks later.
If our kids were younger and still at home - we'd undoubtedly go through the trouble. But since it's primarily my wife and I - simplicity wins out. We stopped putting up Christmas lights years ago, and outside of hanging a wreath on the front door and the miniature tree in the living room - we don't do much else.
We're just too busy to be bothered with going all-out these days. I have neighbors who started putting up outside lights and decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and they're still out there every day adding something.
It looks nice, for sure, but I just no longer look forward to that degree of preparation, then three weeks later - the disassembly and storage.
