Although we are about halfway through the holiday season, many traditional decorations are being put up. One of the most important of those is the Christmas tree. However, if you haven’t put up a tree, or are debating on what to do next year, there are pros and cons to having a real or artificial Christmas tree.
Real Christmas trees bring out the flavor of the Christmas season. We’ve all heard the stories and songs about Christmas trees, with people cutting down a tree and bringing it home, decorating it with strings of popcorn and a shining star on top. It’s part of the tradition after all. Being able to select which size, shape and height of tree is part of the fun. The more natural look and the evergreen aroma contributes to the toasty feeling of comfort.
Yet, there are problems to this seemingly great decoration. Although it is fun to select and bring home a Christmas tree, just as the stories and tradition goes, you’ll likely have to do it every year unless you can somehow keep a tree alive through the Florida summer. This may rack up a cost as buying trees isn’t exactly the cheapest deal on the market. Real Christmas trees also shed needles, creating a mess that can begin to rot if not cleaned properly. Although the aroma of evergreen is pleasing to most, some may be allergic to it. On top of that, even just keeping a Christmas tree green the whole month (or, just the last week if you set it up on Christmas break) can prove a challenge, as if not watered properly the tree will turn brown and die, not only making an ugly scene but shedding even more needles than when it was alive. Lastly, there is the major hazard of having a live Christmas tree. Simply put, if you have lights on your tree, and you forget to water it, it may as well catch fire and burn your house down. Unless you’re a pyromaniac, I don’t think you would be happy to see that.
Artificial Christmas trees are cheap and efficient. They reduce the need to spend money on a tree each year, and instead, all one needs to do is drag the old box from an attic or closet and set it up. They also don’t require any other maintenance after being set up. The selection of an artificial tree can fill in the spot of choosing a real one, whether you order it online or buy it right out of a store. The tree, from far away, usually appears just like a normal tree and still contributes to the festive mood of the season. Aside from that, artificial trees don’t have to look natural anyways. If you want to have an upside down christmas tree, a purple tree, a rainbow bubblegum Christmas tree, go ahead! This tree is artificial for a reason!
Yet, just like their real counterparts still have their cons. Most, if not all traditional Christmas stories don’t have artificial trees. Depending on how nostalgic you are, this may drain a bit of the festivity. Upon closer inspection, one will see the twisted metal, cut wooden poles and plastic needles that just make everything seem…fake. Which, of course, it is fake, but this factor can still drain some of the feelings of Christmas. Artificial Christmas trees also collect a lot of dust and dirt, and can also trigger allergic reactions to those who are allergic to said materials. The tree also doesn’t change every year which can make the feeling of “wow, a new Christmas, a different tree!” disappear, making Christmas’ over the years become monotonous as the tree looks practically the same each year. Overall, the main con of artificial Christmas trees is that they just seem, kind of dead, which can kill the mood of the season.

Overall, both types of trees have their pros and cons. However, we live in the USA. As a result, feel free to choose whichever tree you like!