We used to have a normal-sized tree up nearly every year until a few years ago, ever since I can remember. And it was the same fake tree, nearly as old as I was. I think we finally got rid of it when we had to move. So last year and this year, it's been a small fake tree. I would put up lights on the house but I'd rather not have them jacked by the jolly neighborhood of theives. The pine candle is a great idea. I want one now.
And maybe I'm a hippy but killing a tree just to whore it up and look at it for a month before subsequently discarding its mangled corpse on the curbside just isn't something I don't think I could do.