Christmas Trees: Real vs. Fake

In today’s edition of “It’s My Blog and I’ll Do What I Want” we have a piece I forgot to pull out of draft mode and actually post. But I figured it may still be relevant to someone out there, so here it is!

Ahhh, the age old debate: real vs. fake Christmas trees! I asked my followers in an Instagram story which they preferred, and the results were:

I was shocked to see the results split so evenly! I guess I assumed that more people would like real Christmas trees. I did enjoy you guys tagging me in your tree posts, by the way. Feel free to keep that up all season long!

I’m team REAL Christmas tree. I had a pink tree in college that I loved, but I decided to pass it on in an effort not to scare off my fiancé (now husband), ha! There’s definitely benefits to each, so if you still don’t have a Christmas tree OR you’re thinking about making the switch from real to fake (I’d give it until Dec 26th and catch one on sale!), this may help your make your decision a little easier.

Real trees

They smell amazing

Put up your Yankee Candles because nature’s Air Wick is about to work her magic! I mean, I still have candles everywhere, but I do love that fresh fir scent!

No Setup Required

As a perfectionist, I cannot handle the stress of trying to bend all the branches just so to make them look like an authentic Christmas tree. I can’t, and I won’t. NEXT.

No Storage

Our house isn’t very big, and I’m okay with that. I’ve really tried to downsize my belongings and am very careful about buying things I don’t have room for. Finding space to store something for the 11 months out of the year it isn’t being used isn’t practical over here!

Zero Guilt

So what if plants come to my house to die? A tree is only expected to last about a month! Even I can keep one going for that length of time!

You can Recycle It!

If you know me, you know that I’m very into recycling. Like will take my stuff home from restaurants just to put it in the recycling. I’m THAT person. Most cities have programs to drop off your Christmas tree so it can be composted and mulched down, which keeps it out of landfills. When the time comes to dispose of your tree, be sure to search for an area drop-off!

You Can Support Local Businesses

The people that sold us our ‘free range Christmas tree’ (their words!) are the same people that sold us our pumpkins last fall, and they are such nice people. AND our pumpkins are still alive! And our tree is so darling! The older I get, the more I realize the importance of supporting local businesses. This is a great way to do it during the holidays!

Fake trees

Less Mess

One of my friends lamented the struggle of having to clean up tree needles when I told her I would have to get a real tree, and I snapped at her, “Shhh! I forget about that every year!” Kind of like how you forget how difficult it is to train a puppy, but then you see one and you’re like 😍😍😍😍😍. With a fake tree, there is no constant clean up.

Less Responsibility

You don’t have to water it! I have a reminder in my phone to check on the tree every morning. I could spend that time chugging another cup of iced coffee (THAT I DO NOT NEED — I AM JUST SAYING).

Zero Allergies

If you’re one of those dorks that’s allergic to Christmas trees (JK — a lot of you messaged me that you have to have a fake tree!), fake is obviously the way to go.

No Bugs

If I had a dollar for every time a spider came crawling out of our Christmas tree last year, I would have $5. But that’s still way too many spiders! I can’t even talk about the tarantula that crawled on my hand when I was trying to assemble a wreath with tree clippings I swiped from Home Depot. Thank god I was wearing gloves or I would’ve went “127 Hours” style on myself.

You Can Decorate as Early as You Want!

This is the one thing that would convince me to go fake. If you’re one of those people that puts their tree up November 1st (you know who you are), fake trees are for you. Real trees aren’t usually available until Thanksgiving. This way you can deck those halls whenever you want!

They’re Cheaper

*Sometimes* Of course the tree I wanted was flocked and $600, so I let that dream die real quick. But there are plenty of options that are affordable, especially if you wait until they go on sale after Christmas!

So what do you think? Have I changed your mind? Which do you prefer?