Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees

When it comes to Christmas trees, there seems to be a divide between the people who prefer real trees vs. those that rather buy a real one each year. I am not here to take sides. Rather, this article is for the people who are actually on the fence about whether to buy a real or artificial Christmas tree. Here are the common benefits to selecting either an artificial or real Christmas tree.

Artificial Tree Benefits

• Save a Tree: When you buy an artificial tree, you avoid cutting down a real tree. This is an obvious one. However, it is said that more Christmas trees are planted than taken down so this might not be so bad.
• Cost: The cost to buy an artificial Christmas tree is much cheaper than buying a real tree year after year. The average price of real Christmas tree is somewhere around $50-60. You can get a pretty nice artificial Christmas tree that has the Christmas lights already attached for $200 to $250. Lower-end artificial trees can go for under $100.
• Maintenance: Real trees require watering, shed pine needles, can be full of sap, and may be a pain to transfer to your house from the Christmas tree lot. Many people see them a pain to deal with considering they are only up about a months or so a year.

Real Christmas Tree Benefits

• Storage: Once the Christmas season is over you can dispose of your real tree as required by your city, township, etc. You don't have to deal with the hassle of storing the tree away for the majority of the year.
• The Look: There is something noticeably special about a real tree that is decorated with Christmas lights, ornaments, and other decorations. Some people may have trouble accepting an artificial tree as being a representation of something real.
• Disposal: A real tree is obviously a natural thing that can be recycled. If you toss an artificial tree, it may sit in a dump for an enormous amount of time.
• The Fun: Some people may find picking out the best real Christmas tree for their home a much more reward task than dragging an artificial tree out of storage and figuring out how to put it together. An artificial tree can be a big pain to put together and take down once the magic of Christmas has diminished.

I hope the above pros of artificial and real Christmas trees has given you some clarity on which one to select.