It’s the age-old Christmas dilemma that most homeowners ask themselves every time the year-end holiday season comes around. Read on for factors to consider when picking out that perfect tree for your home.
- Scent
The first distinctive feature that sets a real Christmas tree apart from an artificial one is the strong pine smell that is instantly apparent from a whiff. If you’re dedicated in keeping your home heavy in the festive cheer down to a wafting X’mas fragrance, opt for a real tree to deliver just that. Understandably, you or your guests might be allergic to the dominant scent of pine wood as well, which makes artificial trees also a safer option to consider. - Price
Looking to celebrate the festivities on a budget? Then it might be wise to go for an artificial tree, as they can be reused year after year without additional costs. Opting for a real Christmas tree costs significantly high, and their lifespan might only last for that year of use before they potentially rot and be made obsolete. For financial practicality, stick to an artificial tree to get your money’s worth. - Maintenance
Another downside of real Christmas trees is their difficulty in being constantly maintained in order to remain functional – from watering them to cleaning up after a mess of needles that will inevitably fall off overtime. Artificial trees avoid all those issues, and can still look as good as the real thing. - Convenience
Another factor that might convince you to be pro-artificial trees is their ease of storage. They tend to be easily disassembled, and can be neatly placed in a box or storage container and tucked away in the storeroom until the next Christmas season. Real trees, however, don’t enjoy the the same luxury. They require a larger space to be stowed away and their ability for future use is not guaranteed, making them a risk to keep at home in the first place. - Environmental effects
While an artificial tree does look to be more of an attractive choice at this point, the greatest disadvantage of getting one is also its harmful side effects. Most of us aren’t aware that the material used in making artificial trees include metal and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PE (polyethylene) – petroleum-derived products that are not able to be recycled, and release toxins that can be harmful to humans, animals and the planet when released into the air. On the contrary, real pine trees are easily recyclable and is a much more environmentally-friendly option.
