We've always had artificial trees. We used the one from our very first Christmas for years...the kids got old enough to taunt their father every time he told the story.
Finally, we bought another artificial, prelit, then unprelit when the lights broke and had to be removed. (Solidly made tree, too. At one point, it had four cats in it and didn't fall over.)
This year we're using the top of the very first Christmas tree as a table top tree. Luckily, Dingo the tiny dog has never heard the story, so my husband can tell it again.