Taking Sides: Real or fake Christmas trees?

Genuine is greatest
By: Esther Kabanda

The fondest memory from childhood that you will always cherish is going out with your parents or siblings and picking out the perfect pine or fir to make the perfect Christmas tree, giving your house that perfect warm holiday feeling in the drafty, cold winter. However, nowadays, people are getting a little too lazy when it comes to taking the time to put up a nice, beautiful, and real tree. It is definitely time to give that up; reject modernity and embrace tradition. 

The rise in popularity of buying fake plastic trees is slowly taking over the season as a cheaper and more efficient alternative to real trees. Its easier access, reusability, and environmental advantages are the main factors that appeal to consumers, but where’s the fun in a large piece of plastic? There is nothing about contributing to plastic pollution that screams, “Christmas cheer.” Besides, there is no amount of essential oils that could replicate or replace the natural aroma of a classic pine. 

Of course, artificial trees are the better option for bedroom or windowsill decor, but a smaller version is less time consuming than a standard 7.5-foot-tall tree. Additionally, as much as people would like to claim that fake trees are the better option because they can be stored and reused, not many buyers actually do that anyway. Every year, there is an estimation of 10 million artificial trees bought online. So, as far as which tree would be more eco-friendly, authentic, and memorable, a traditional pine is the superior Christmas tree. 

Fake is finer
By: Erin Young

It’s the Christmas season, lights being hung, presents being bought, ornaments being unpacked, and the Christmas tree being decorated. However, this brings up a debate among families about what kind of Christmas tree to put up. Depending on where you live and your traditions, you will either have a fake Christmas tree or a real tree, but which one is better? 

Real Christmas trees are fun, smell fresh, and look good, but ultimately, they just cause more chores, more work, and you have to buy a new one every year. Some chores involved are cleaning up any of the needles the tree will shed when you unpack it, you have to keep up with watering it so it does not die, and you have to keep your pets away so they don’t eat any of the branches. 

Fake Christmas trees are an investment that will hopefully last many years. This saves you money on needing to buy a new tree every year. Additionally, fake trees do not shed as much as real ones, and many fake trees now have lights already on, so you don’t have to deal with the struggle of untangling lights and cords. They can also be packed up very easily and stored in a basement, attic, or crawl space until the next year, and then you don’t have to worry about taking the trash out once the tree dies. 

Furthermore, fake trees also hold memories for families, like watching your kids grow up, taking the same picture next to the same tree every year. Save your time and money, and invest in a fake Christmas tree this year to start making those memories.