Home and Garden Web

It’s the holiday season again and along with the eggnog, mistletoe and fancy gifts comes the never ending debate: Real or Fake?

Yep, whenever December rolls around you can count on husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, grandmothers and grandfathers—all disagreeing to their last frosty breaths on the issue of real or fake Christmas trees. Some argue for the convenience of an artificial tree, some argue for the tradition and the unmistakable aroma of an authentic tree.

So who’s right? Probably both. And here are a few reasons why:

You should buy a real tree because…

• There’s nothing like the rich scent of pine wafting through your home during the holiday season. Many of us grew up associating the intoxicating aroma with fond memories and treasured family experiences. That alone will put many people on the “real” side of the fence.
• For many families, the simple experience of loading up the car and heading to the nearest Christmas tree lot is a part of their holiday tradition. Picking the perfect tree can be a fun family activity. My brother and his family actually apply for a “Christmas Tree Permit” and trek into the mountains to cut down their own tree. The memories and family fun associated with these events are sure to last a lifetime.
• A real tree doesn’t take up storage space in your home 11 months out of the year. Part of the convenience of buying a real Christmas tree is disposability. Come December 26th, you can simply pack it up and take your tree to the nearest drop off spot. Many neighborhoods even offer curbside pickup of your old tree.

You should buy an artificial tree because…

• You don’t have to transport a large tree from the lot and again to the drop off. Let’s face it, if you don’t have a pickup truck getting a real Christmas tree home from the lot can be a real pain…not to mention somewhat dangerous. Strapping an 8-foot tall Douglas Fir to the roof of their Lexus isn’t exactly appealing to most people.
• Most artificial trees are pre-lit. That means you won’t spend hours untangling the ball of lights you so carefully put away last year. You and your family can get right to the good part and start hanging bulbs, candy canes, ornaments and the like.
• There’s no maintenance. No watering, no asprins, no sprite, none of the virtually thousands of home remedies for keeping a large tree on life support for 30 days.
• There’s no mess. Since your fake tree will never die, you won’t be vacuuming dead pine needles all month. Not to mention there’s no sap. So when you set up your artificial tree your hands won’t stick to everything you touch for the next 48 hours.

There you have it. I’m sure there are dozens more reasons for and against each. But these few points should be enough to spark a debate guaranteed to warm your holiday spirit.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.