Every year, families debate whether to get a real Christmas tree, or invest in an artificial one. Research the pros and cons of each, to decide which is best for your lifestyle and tastes.
Pros of an Artificial Tree
No maintenance
One purchase can last for years
Can be purchased prelit
No refuse to be removed, simply store it away until next year
Cons of an Artificial Tree
Stuck with one size every year, even if you get a bigger or smaller space
Removes the tradition of picking out the family Christmas tree
Stuck with one style, especially if you choose a prelit one
Takes up extra storage space
Pros of a Real Tree
Having a family tradition of choosing this year’s tree
The smell of real evergreen it adds to your home
You choose the perfect size every year to fit your current space
Cons of a Real Tree
Maintenance to ensure the tree is watered well to last through the season
Fire hazard if needle get too dry
Cleanup of needles as they drop off
Paying for the removal of the tree after the holidays
Essentially killing a living evergreen, every year
As you see, both choices have serious pros and cons to contemplate. If you are craving the look of a real tree, without the additional hassles, artificial trees have come a long way in style. Some companies, like Balsam Hill, offer realistic Blue Spruce artificial Christmas trees that are six and half feet tall and are covered in thousands of branch tips to ensure it mimics the look of a real evergreen. If you get one that is unlit, you can change the style every year, replacing the traditional hunt for a tree with the hunt for a holiday theme. For example, do a candy cane theme one year with white and red lights, and a gingerbread theme the next with multicolored lights. You’ll have the festive look you want, and the extra money in your budget deck out the rest of your house, without having to spend a dime on a new tree every year.
The artificial trees nowadays are so much better than in the past that I think I shall buy one for next year. I can have the smell of pine with a wreath and/or centerpiece. Moreover, you can add your own lights and decorations to have a family tradition of decorating it.
I think the artificial trees these days are so much better than the one we had when I was growing up. They look so much more natural and nice to not have the mess.
Great breakdown and some good points for people to consider. There are pros and cons for each and you have to decide for yourself and your family. We used to pick out real, but now with the children grown we just do an artificial pre lit. Easier and the only hassle we have is where to store it for next year. They do take up room and you don’t want to ruin them.
I’ve solved the problem for myself: No tree.
I usually have a couple of boughs on the mantle that smell nice.
There is an organization that rents real Christmas trees, I don’t know all the details, but the the bottom like is that in the end you’re not killing a living evergreen every year because they come and pick up the tree and all of the trees that they rent out are kept alive. In the end no trees are killed in the celebration of Christmas, (so this is not a con). I support celebrating Christmas with real Christmas trees.
We have never had an artificial tree. Now that all my kids are grown and moved out of the house I have considered getting one, but everyone always makes such a fuss when I mention it that we have just kept the same tradition going here.
I havo to go with an artificial tree because of our dogs. Our tree sits on top of a large table so the dogs cant get to it. A live tree would not work with our fur children.
Also, we have 2 close relatives who are allergic to most evergreen trees.
I love the smell of a real tree and for me the holidays are not holidays without it. But instead of buying every year a new one we just planted outside a real tree , kids love to compare who grew more them or the tree every year 🙂
I don’t think our family ever had a real tree either. I have pics of a color wheel shining on a silver aluminum tree which I thought at the time was pretty, lol
I have to use an artifical tree because another con for getting a live tree is that it is too hard to get home. I do not have a truck and I do not want to lug a big tree on top of my nice car. Plus it seems that every year that i had a real tree it got so dry before Christmas. I like my fake tree. It looks better than a real one.
Good pros and cons on both sides! We’ve never had a real tree, and while they are beautiful, and smell so nice, I’m always afraid of a fire, somehow, and don’t like the idea of chopping down a tree. The artificial ons we’ve had have looked very pretty, and I’ve sprayed them with that evergreen smell to get more of a real effect. That Balsam Hill 6 1/2 foot one at Amazon sure looks real to me!