The Christmas Tree Debate

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The big Christmas tree debate. We have it almost every year in our house, and I’m sure it goes on in many other houses as well.

Should we get a real or artificial Christmas tree?

This year I found myself seriously contemplating this question and what my decision would be for our household. After last year’s disappointing experience with a real tree from one of the big box home improvement stores, I was really leaning towards foregoing the live branches in my house and opting instead for just the appearance of a live sapling in my living room. But would I really be satisfied with my Christmas season if I didn’t have the real thing?

I’m a list maker, and maybe you are too, so you might understand my need to actually write down the pros and cons of each scenario. Yes, I actually made a list about whether to go real or artificial this holiday season. It’s the only solution I could come up with for my Christmas tree debacle.

christmas tree debate

And thus I entered the decision-making process…

First and foremost, I thought about last year in our brand new custom built home with our real tree. It was a real pain for me to get down on my hands and knees and water the thing, and it seemed no matter how much I watered it, the green leaves still fell off in great bunches each and every day, littering my monogrammed tree skirt and new hardwood floors.

The rate at which our six-foot Christmas tree seemed to decline was heartbreaking. The branches barely made it to the actual holiday, some already brown on the ends by the time Christmas morning rolled around. This, to me, was devastating!

Granted, we had gotten the tree on sale just a couple weeks prior, but as I said, I was indeed watering it, and it still seemed to perish too soon. And make a terrible mess along the way, which required me to break out the hand-held vacuum almost daily.

And so I seemed to want to go the artificial route this year and enjoy my fresh and live-looking tree for as long as I wanted before, and even after, December 25. There would be no mess, and no water spilling all over my floor and tree skirt as I tried precariously to pour it into the actual tree basin.

I could also purchase a tree that was pre-lit and be able to skip the arduous task of stringing the lights on the tree! Oh, how my idea of an artificial tree was seeming better and better!

But then the cons of the “fake” tree started creeping into my mind.

There would be no trip with the kids to the store, or some other roadside tree market, to pick out our perfect tree. We would have to forego that beautiful yearly experience. And there would be no real tree smell wafting through my home during the Christmas season. And all those artificial branches to put together and uncurl and unfold! What an unpleasant task that would be!

The Christmas Tree Debate Charleston MomsBut then again, it would probably take less time to unfold the tree branches than it would to string the lights, wouldn’t it? And I would be unscathed by tree sap at the end of the setup!

Have you ever tried to get tree sap off of your hands?! It doesn’t come off. And Lord knows, it will ruin your manicure! (Cue the diva in me . . . .) And as far as the sweet smell of Christmas tree, well, they make wax melts for that, and they actually work a lot better if you ask me!

Finally, I came to the conclusion to try something different this year, and maybe the next few years as well.

I purchased an artificial tree online, and on sale, as most artificial trees are this time of year. I looked on dozens of websites for the perfect tree, at the best price, and I settled on one with really beautiful pictures and great consumer reviews.

The kids may be disappointed that we aren’t venturing out to buy a real tree this year, but they won’t be sad for long, once the tree is up, and it’s time to decorate with the ornaments! And the husband will be super glad that he doesn’t have to get covered in sap getting the tree anchored in the stand and stringing the lights. Maybe this new artificial tree will become another great Christmas tradition for our family. Maybe its assembly and decorating process will become a new ritual in our house, leading to its finished beauty and brilliance.

So when it comes to the real versus artificial Christmas tree debate in your family, it’s really all about personal preference, and ultimately making sure to just enjoy this timeless tradition. Set up your own tree, whether living or not and decorate it as a family. There is no right or wrong kind of tree. What’s really important is celebrating your own very special tree and the holiday season, creating family memories for many years to come.

The Christmas Tree Debate Charleston Moms