Artificial or Real Christmas Trees?

Christmas trees have been a tradition since the 16th century and are still popular decorations for the holiday season. When buying a tree, the buyer must make an important decision: should they purchase a real or fake Christmas tree? When answering this question, several factors must be evaluated.

Convenience

The overall convenience of having an artificial Christmas tree makes them an undeniably popular pick for many families during the holiday season. Most artificial trees can easily be assembled, dismantled, and stored; to many people, this process is easier than going out and finding a live tree. When decorating Christmas trees, many people also find it easier to hang decorations off of the branches of artificial trees. Other notable benefits to having artificial trees include, but are not limited to, having less of a mess from dropping needles, not needing to be watered, being allergy friendly, and being symmetrical. 

Meanwhile, real Christmas trees must be purchased each year since they only last for 4 to 5 weeks before they start to dry up and lose their needles. Even after buying the tree, it must be watered daily, which could cause mold and fungi to form. Fallen pine needles also pose a safety hazard to pets since the needles could be toxic when consumed. Nevertheless, some people like pine needles for their scent. Juliana Neemeh (12) shares that she prefers “real Christmas trees because of the nice smell they bring to [her] home.”

Cost

The most apparent con of having an artificial Christmas tree is the high cost of finding a high-quality fake tree. While it is possible to find artificial Christmas trees for under $100, the vast majority of quality trees will be at least a couple hundred dollars. The high price tag on these trees may intimidate potential buyers, but a good quality tree can be reused for many years. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, the average price for a live Christmas tree in 2021 was $69.50. Even though a live tree has a lower initial price, you will need to buy a new tree every holiday season, so in most instances, you would be saving money by purchasing an artificial tree that can be used for multiple years. However, the experience of purchasing a real Christmas tree could be a tradition that many families cherish. Growing up, some people purchased real Christmas trees each year, so continuing the tradition with their families could help bring them a sense of nostalgia and warmth throughout the holiday season. Even if picking a real Christmas tree isn’t a generational tradition, the activity is undeniably fun and is a great way to support local Christmas tree farms.

Environmental Impact

Many people may think that artificial trees are more environmentally friendly in comparison to real trees, but unless the fake tree is used for at least ten years, the live tree will most likely have a lower carbon footprint. Artificial Christmas trees are not recyclable since most are made with plastic and steel. This can result in even more environmental damage after people choose to discard their artificial trees. 

Real Christmas trees have a less damaging impact on the environment. On most Christmas tree farms, the trees are sustainably planted and harvested. Once the trees are inside homes, they can filter out dust and pollen in the air, making the air healthier to breathe. The trees are also easily recyclable once they are ready to be discarded. 

After considering all of the factors that differentiate real and artificial Christmas trees, the buyer ultimately decides which tree is better. Though costs and environmental impacts are noteworthy, it is ultimately the buyer’s unique holiday traditions that allow them to decide which type of tree they should purchase for the holidays.