Manola Secaira:

People tend to coil from the word “fake”, turning up their noses as they haughtily declare their superiority and pride in having a real tree. But is that really something to be so proud about? Sure, having a “real tree” for Christmas sounds nice, but it’s so much messier.

Pine needles are everywhere; Christmas trees shed faster than a Golden Retriever in August. The forest-y smell is nice at first, but wading through pine needles post-Christmas just serves as a dismal reminder of the death of yet another holiday and the arduous clean-up it entails. Aside from this, there’s the fact that Christmas trees can foster mold— not so much fun for those with allergies— and spider nests. Yeah, doesn’t seem so cheery anymore, now does it?

Critics of the artificial Christmas tree say that buying a new tree each year is part of the Christmas tradition; however, one could argue that traditions can become useless over time. We no longer need to go out and get a tree. Now that we have artificial trees, why waste money on buying a real one? It only adds to the already gigantic budget of holiday spending. There are other things the family can do during Christmas that don’t include the monetary hassle of a tree, such as decorating the house and listening to Christmas music.

Artificial trees grant families the choice to decorate or not, as you can buy artificial trees with bare or with decorations. Want to spend some time as a family to decorate the tree? No problem. Don’t have time but still want to have a pretty tree? There are lines of differently decorated artificial trees to choose from. Having an artificial Christmas tree can even eliminate the trivial battle over which family’s tree is best (as they all look good), a battle that only distracts from what Christmas should really be celebrating.

Even if you miss the “natural smell” of real trees, there are a myriad of scents or air fresheners that can do the job just as well. You can make your tree smell like anything you want. Your tree can smell like freaking candy canes if that is what your heart desires.

There is way more flexibility with artificial Christmas trees, flexibility that you won’t get with real trees. They’re much more family friendly, save you money, and can even be better outlets for creativity. No more bickering over which tree is best or a mess of needles on the floor. Artificial tree’s got you covered. If anything, artificial Christmas trees are what you should really be proud of.

Alivia Brown:

Why go fake when you can get the real deal? Real Christmas trees are 100% better than fake Christmas trees. Fake Christmas trees take away from the Christmas spirit while real Christmas trees fill the holidays with a wonderful smell.

The best part about a real Christmas tree is the smell. The smell of the fresh pine fills the air and truly says that Christmas is near. They smell delicious like Christmas. The risk of fires, being one of the main reasons that people don’t purchase real Christmas trees, are only a small problem if proper care takes place. Getting a Christmas tree is an adventure in itself. A good or interesting family day is bound to take place. The endless search to find the perfect one makes the day that much more fun. After finding that perfect tree the rest of the day becomes filled with other Christmas activities such as hot chocolate, decorating for the holiday, and enjoying the company of others.

Although many would say that the mess that comes with having a real tree is not worth it.  Some say that they love it when the tree leaves the pine needles behind . What’s Christmas without pine needles everywhere? The pride that comes with finding your “perfect” Christmas tree is way better than the same fake tree that is brought out of the dusty closet annually. Finding your tree sets the mood for the rest of the holidays.  When the tree is finally put up and all the lights and decorations are on it a great satisfaction of the final product makes the day enjoyable.

One of the best things about real Christmas trees is that they are not fake. Fake trees also have the lights and sometimes ornaments built into them already which takes away from the fun. Real Christmas trees set a totally different mood when the holidays come around. Next time you are in the presence of a real tree don’t be afraid to take a whiff and enjoy the true smell of Christmas.