Real Christmas Trees vs. Artificial Christmas Trees
Image of an artificial tree on the right, next to a real christmas tree on the left as a comparison.
Why do we feel the need to get trees and decorate them in our houses? I would answer this by saying, it is a tradition that people have continued for many years, in this case there are many options of trees you can purchase, some people purchase real trees and some people purchase fake trees. So let's talk about the pros and cons of both of these trees.
First of all let's talk about fake Christmas trees, most of them you can find on Amazon, or in a store, mainly anywhere during Christmas time. Fake trees can normally take a short time to set up and some of the ones that you are able to purchase can even come with lights on them that you would just have to plug in and then there is your Christmas tree. Fake trees also come in many shapes and colors like white, red, and many more, unlike real Christmas trees.
To begin comparing fake trees to real trees I decided to pick a height of Christmas trees that would work for both a real Christmas tree and a fake one. The height I am using to compare is 8ft. The average price for a fake Christmas tree at a height of 8ft has a price range of $80-$250. The higher priced ones are the more realistic ones, so if you are looking for a very realistic tree then you have to be willing to pay the price. Now, let’s look at the price of a real tree that is 8ft tall, the median price for a Christmas tree around 8ft is $80-$120. As you can tell a real christmas tree in some cases, depending on what tree you get, could be less or more than a fake tree.
Is the price really worth it? Some people would argue that getting a real Christmas tree would be a waste of money, and other people would say that it is not and because it is a real tree it is more special. If we were to contrast how long a fake tree lasts versus a real tree, anyone could observe that a fake tree would arguably last much longer, but how much longer? Is the high price for a realistic fake Christmas tree really worth it? Christmas Tree World explains that many high-quality artificial trees can last up to six to ten years, as you can see that is quite a long time. In comparison a real christmas tree can only survive about four to five weeks after being cut down according to House Beautiful.
Yes, the lifetime of a fake tree is much longer but how does it affect our environment compared to real trees? Based on some of the information I have gathered, around 10 million fake trees are bought every season, which as you can imagine is not healthy for the environment. Then around 90% of the trees are shipped from China which results in huge emissions of carbon and the usage of many resources. As if the use and transportation is not enough, the material that artificial trees are made out of is not good for the environment either, as they are not recyclable so they end up in landfills after being used.
When talking about real Christmas trees, they are mostly beneficial to the environment. Since they are grown from the earth, once you are done with a tree you can simply throw it out and it will grow back into the earth and potentially help the soil with new things to come. Real trees are also beneficial because they absorb carbon dioxide and other gases to emit fresh oxygen. So overall if we are talking about the benefits to the environment while comparing artificial trees and real trees, I would have to say that real trees are much more healthy especially for the environment.
In total, more people prefer an artificial tree over a real tree. This may be because artificial trees are a lot less maintenance and they last a while. You are also able to just store it in your attic and pull it out when it is time for Christmas. While this is the case, some other people prefer a real Christmas tree because it may be a tradition, or they like going out and cutting down their own tree. Real trees also offer that real look, including their scent that is very fragrant which also smells really good. Here is a percentage of the people who prefer artificial trees over real trees.
(Photo:Rocket Homes) Data chart that shows the percentage of people who prefer a real Christmas tree over an artificial Christmas tree.
In conclusion, you or anyone in your family can make the decision to purchase any kind of tree that you want. No matter the benefits or not, because at the end of the day everyone wants to feel the holiday spirit especially with a lit up Christmas tree.