Real or Fake? Everyone wonders which is the better choice for a Christmas tree. But the evidence seems to show that artificial Christmas trees are the better choice in almost every way. There are so many reasons why fake Christmas trees are superior.

Murderer! That’s what you are when you buy a real tree. Every year about 27 million trees die just so your mom can hang your gold-painted macaroni ornament from Kindergarten.  And on December 26th, that poor tree is thrown out on the curb for the trash collector along with that nasty fruitcake.  At least artificial trees can be reused year after year, saving the lives of many generation of trees.  So don’t be a serial killer of trees.  

Also, fake trees give you more bang for your buck. Real trees kick the bucket right after the 25th(if they last that lone), but artificial trees can last ten years or more. A real six-foot tree typically costs $50-$100, adding up to as much as $1000 in ten years. Fake trees cost around $100-200 but can last a decade or more. With that kind of savings, you can buy a PS4 and a Xbox One! What a bargain!

And real trees are able to catch on fire! Approximately 230 homes with Christmas trees catch fire each year.  Fires during the holiday season account for 2,600 injuries and $930 million in damage according to the US Fire Administration. Artificial trees have a much smaller chance of catching ablaze.  So unless you want to take that “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” business literally, an artificial choice is a much safer choice.

Convenience is also a major factor. Real trees can’t be purchased too early, otherwise they will wilt and die. However, fake trees can be put up early to avoid the holiday crunch and can stay up as long as you are too lazy to pack it up (just try to take it down by the 4th of July, okay?).

Finally, real trees always dirty your floors. Their needles fall off and get into your clothes and socks.  It’s not as bad as walking on Legos, but those needles don’t feel good.  Also when you undecorate the tree, even more pines fall off and your hands look like you’ve crawled through barbed wire. Unless you want to be vacuuming for the next few months, you should get a fake tree.

One of the main arguments people make for a live tree is the smell. Really?  Christmas is filled with so many smells:  cookies baking, yule logs burning, chestnuts roasting, cocoa bubbling.  If people really need one more smell, they can get some pine-scented candles. 

So, are you willing to kill trees, waste money, endanger your family and create a mess? Or, would you save trees, get more bang for your buck, keep your family safe and your floors clean by getting a fake tree?  Choose wisely and Merry Christmas.