Fake Fir

When I was young, the prospect of tramping through the field in search of the perfect Christmas tree was appealing.

The succeeding trips to the local drugstore, however, for more lights, more ornaments, more lights, more tinsel and more lights got tiresome. And the costs kept mounting. So I bring you this high-end bargain proving why the best bargain shoppers are those with a fat bank account and maybe why their bank account is so fat.

One quality silk tree complete with lights already in place is the answer. Yes, the initial investment is way above the cost of a cut tree, but over a period of a few years it pays off--if you go for top quality.

In the Magic Forest at M & H Fantasy Designs, trees come in all sizes, but there’s a 7 1/2-footer with more than 1,000 Silvestri indoor-outdoor lights (the kind the pros use), perfectly placed on metal-hinged branches in collapsible sections for easy disassembly or setup; the price . . . $549. A plastic number in the same size at a Beverly Hills specialty shop is $499.95.

That’s like paying $50 more for a Rolls than a Geo. This additional $50 gets a quality that will last for years; one friend has had hers for 15 years and not a light has burned out. She figures she has saved hundreds of dollars over the long haul.

The final satisfaction comes when it’s time to dismantle the tree. Just fold it into a box for storage until next year. No mess to clean up, and you don’t have that sad sight of a cut tree dumped in the trash. Friends of the Earth are applauding.

There’s a wide selection of wreaths and Santas and angels, all at competitive prices, and custom furniture at much better than most prices.

M & H Fantasy Designs, 21 W. Easy St., Simi Valley, (805) 584-2600. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day until Dec. 25.

Weekend Supersale: It’s too late to order your greeting cards from the books, but just about every quality card made is in stock at Embrey Press; prices reflect 40% to 50% off. Their presses are on the premises, so they can print them up for you in five days (or less “if you look desperate enough,” says owner John Isaksen). 2295 Westwood Blvd., West Los Angeles. (310) 475-4567.