SAN JOSE, CALIF. — As the Christmas season quickly approaches, families are starting to decide between putting up a fake or authentic Christmas tree in their homes.  Here are the pros and cons of buying a real or artificial Christmas tree that can help you decide.

Authentic Christmas trees can help create more tradition and festive spirits while celebrating Christmas and going out to buy a tree. A survey done in 2019 for the Christmas Tree Promotion Board found that those who purchase real Christmas trees are more likely to value tradition more than those who purchase artificial trees. Real trees will also bring a fresh, natural scent to your home that artificial trees cannot replicate.

Many people used to believe that chopping down trees was detrimental to the environment. It is actually the complete opposite. The Christmas Tree Promotion Board says, “Christmas tree farmers make sure planting and harvesting are balanced to protect the environment. In fact, for every real Christmas tree they harvest, they plant at least one new tree.” The trees are also biodegradable and can be repurposed as mulch.

Artificial trees are very low maintenance and can be customized before you buy them. Because they are made of manmade materials, artificial trees help reduce the risk of fires, so you won’t have to worry about the safety of your home. Artificial trees are also  reusable which means you wouldn’t have to buy a new tree every year. The downside is that artificial trees have 3 times more of a negative impact on the environment than real trees do because of the energy and plastic used to make them. When you throw out artificial trees, they just end up piling in the landfill. 

In my opinion, I think real trees are the better option when you are planning to buy a Christmas tree. They are environmentally friendly and can also help create more traditions that can make celebrating Christmas more fun. It is important to protect the planet that we live on. Without it, we wouldn’t even be where we are today. Creating traditions is very important to our mental well-being. It can help us feel like we belong instead of feeling like an outsider. Learning how to celebrate traditions can help kids appreciate more of what they have instead of taking them for granted. 

“My family puts up a real Christmas tree every year. We go out to buy them ourselves. It brings a special feeling to celebrating Christmas that artificial trees don’t give you. There’s just something about the smell and the tradition that make having a real tree during Christmas so special. After so many years, I can’t even imagine having Christmas without a real tree.” says Natalie Yuen, a freshman at Silver Creek.

Which Christmas tree you buy all depends on the individual and what they value. Whether or not they value traditions, or if they value convenience. I value tradition more than convenience. No matter how affordable an artificial tree is in the long run, it can never trade for the memories that can be made while having a real tree. No matter which option you choose, the most important thing is spending time and creating good memories with the ones you care about. 

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