One of the most memorable parts of the Christmas holiday season for many families is putting up and decorating a Christmas tree. For this reason, millions of Christmas trees are sold every single year. However, some people may be wondering about whether they should purchase a real tree or a fake one. There are many benefits and drawbacks to each. You should weigh all of these before coming to a decision.
First, there is the environmental argument. What may be surprising to many is that environmentalists tend to argue in favor of using a real Christmas tree. This may seem counter-intuitive since the chopping down or uprooting of a single tree for temporary use may seem wasteful.
For many, this sacrifice of one tree is far more environmentally friendly than the materials that go into the production of fake Christmas trees. This typically includes things such as vinyl chloride and dioxin that are used to produce the polyvinyl chloride that most fake Christmas trees are composed of. These materials often pollute the environment near the factories that produce such trees in countries with low pollution standards like China.
Real Christmas trees also have some serious drawbacks that may result in many families settling for a fake tree instead. Real trees are simply a lot more work. While you can simply buy a standard uniform fake Christmas tree from a retail store, choosing a real tree from a farm or lot will be more time consuming, difficult and expensive. Transporting the tree home can also be a hassle.
However, the work does not end there. Unlike a fake tree, you must take care of a real tree once it’s inside your home. The tree will need to be watered so you can keep it healthy. You will also need to routinely clean it since it will probably shed lots of its pine needles.
Even if you do attempt to take good care of your real Christmas tree, it may end up rotting anyways. This is always a risk with uprooted plants.
Real Christmas trees are also a onetime ordeal. After they are used, they must be thrown away or re-planted. While you could theoretically use the same tree multiple times, the tree will probably not be able to take that kind of stress. This is never an issue with a fake tree. It can simply be stored away until next year.
Over all, each choice has its own benefits and drawbacks. Your main concern should be what is important to you. If you want authenticity and environmental friendliness, you should choose a real tree. If you want convenience and ease of use, a fake Christmas tree is the way to go.
Do you use a real Christmas tree or a fake Christmas tree for the holidays?
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