We decided to cut a cedar tree one year. We had 10 foot ceilings in an old farm house, our first year in it. We went to the woods and cut a tree much too large for the living room. Got it cut down to where it fit. It took up a large portion of the large living room, but was beautiful. We decorated the tree and it was beautiful. We woke up the next morning to a smell of cat pee. We had a cat, but that would have take about 15 cats. After a few days, the smell went away, but we have stayed away from cedar since then!

When my hubby and I first moved to our 5 acre place (from a row house) we decided to dig up a tree every year and then plant it in the yard after Christmas. The first two years they didn't servive. The next few years we bought one that had the root ball on it. We gave up when they got too expensive. When we look at the ones that did make it it is hard to believe that the thirty or so foot trees were the little 4 footers that were all spruced up in their Christmas finery inside the house. One took so long to really grow that everyone thought it was a miniture Blue Spruce but after 6 years it really got going and is now almost as big as it's brothers! They are georgous and they smelled great when they were in the house. And yes we did find a few bird's nests and even some hibernating insects while they were inside!

I like your philosophy.