Whether you believe in climate change and trying to make a difference or a laid back, convenient Christmas there is always an advantage to one or the other. 

Starting at the real tree, straight from the woods, and hand picked out yourself, personal, there are lots of pros and cons. Up until recently, a real Christmas tree has been the standard. A real christmas tree really allows for that bonding family experience to flourish. It’s hard to beat the smell of a real Christmas tree. 

That’s the small picture, the big picture is the affect on the environment. A real Christmas tree helps employ over 100,000 people and an acre of trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people everyday. The best part is, these trees are recyclable. 33 million Christmas trees are sold every year and 93% of those trees are recycled. 

It takes 7 years to grow a real Christmas tree, and think about all the oxygen it’s providing for us in the meantime. Also, with a lot of companies, as soon as you cut down a tree and take it home, it is immediately replaced with a new tree.

Investing in a real Christmas tree means that you sometimes support smaller businesses, and when you take them home, they clean the air inside of your house, making it not only smell good, but clean and safe.

So although a fake tree may be more convenient, it hinders your carbon footprint. A fake tree takes a lot of resources to make and they are not biodegradable. Most fake trees are made and shipped from China, meaning it takes a lot of fossil fuel energy to get to your local store, or even doorstep with modern online purchasing. 

You would have to keep an artificial tree for 10 years before it has the same impact as a real tree. 

However, Christmas trees tend to cost a lot of money. Fake Christmas trees save you a lot of money over time because they can last up to 9 years. These trees are much more adaptable to all kinds of homes, whether you live in a smaller house, or have kids with potential allergies. 

Fake Christmas trees are very versatile and come in many colors and variations, some people prefer different aesthetics for their Christmas atmosphere. They’re also low maintenance. You won’t ever have to worry about pine needle mess, rewatering, and when Christmas time is over you can fold it down and store it in a box that’ll easily fit into any space for next year. 

One huge concern with real trees are fires. With all the outlets and wires that come with making the tree come to life, these trees are very likely to catch fire and cause damage. But, a fake Christmas tree is almost always flame retardant. 

Over the last 15 years people have greatly switched over to fake trees. They’re easier to store and setup, they’re low maintenance and often look just as good, if not better than the real deal. 

Lots of people argue that the fun doesn’t come from picking out the tree, it comes from decorating it. At the end of the day, a good bonding family moment happens on Christmas day and whether you have a real or fake Christmas tree won’t change that.