The Christmas tree is a symbol of the holidays that is found in most homes in America. Some people prefer real trees, some prefer fake and some switch back and forth between real and fake depending on the year. There are pros and cons to each of these choices.
Using an Artificial Tree at Christmas
Artificial Christmas trees are best for people who hate the thought of cutting down a tree to use for Christmas and throw out each year. Others choose artificial trees because they don’t require maintenance.
Artificial trees are typically more expensive than real trees at first, but they can be used year-after-year, which spreads the cost out over time. It’s best to buy an artificial tree right after Christmas if you can wait because they usually go on sale as soon as the holiday season ends.
Most people believe that using an artificial tree is better for the environment because they are reusable, but experts believe that the chemicals that go into manufacturing artificial trees are more harmful to the environment than the cutting down thousands of real trees each year.
Another drawback of using an artificial tree rather than a real tree is the lack of smell from the tree and missing the experience of going out together to choose the perfect tree for your home.
Using a Real Tree for Christmas Decorating
Many people don’t feel like it’s getting close to Christmas until they have had the experience of going out as a family to choose and cut down the perfect tree.
There are around 500,000 acres of trees grown just for Christmas each year in the United States and close to 93 percent of those trees get recycled shortly after the holiday season ends.
Live Christmas trees smell great and you can find the perfect size and shape tree each year for your home.
Real trees tend to be more expensive than fake trees because they have to be replaced each year, but many people feel that the experience of cutting down the tree is worth the yearly cost.
As many benefits as there are to buying a real Christmas tree for your home, there are also drawbacks. Real trees shed needles and have to be watered regularly so they don’t become a fire hazard.
They must be transported from wherever they are cut to the place they are sold and transported again from the place you buy them to your home.
Live trees are only beautiful for a limited amount of time, so most people don’t set their tree up until the middle of December so they don’t risk having the tree lose all of its needles before Christmas.
Real trees should be recycled after the holidays. There are many organizations that will pick up the tree from outside your home and recycle it for you for free or a small donation.
The right kind of Christmas tree for your home depends on your lifestyle and budget. People who are home to maintain their tree and enjoy its beauty will probably benefit from having a real tree.
People who want a stress-free holiday season and don’t have time for maintenance will probably do better with an artificial tree.
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