When I think of Christmas, I recall the many traditions my family has for the holiday season. Whether it’s festively decorating the house, baking cookies, singing carols or watching classic Christmas movies, every family seems to have their own Christmas traditions. 

Of these traditions, one of the most famous is decorating the Christmas tree. Families all over the world gather in their respective homes to hang lights, ornaments or tinsel on their trees. 

However, beginning in the 1980s, people started to use fake trees, made from plastic, as opposed to the traditional evergreen trees. These fake trees have become increasingly popular over the years, mostly due to the fact that they don’t need as much maintenance as real trees. There are no needles to clean up, the tree doesn’t need water, and it is reusable year after year. 

Despite these benefits, I think that artificial trees are not the way to go during the holiday season.

Real, authentic evergreen trees have been used for centuries, dating back to the 1700s. The longstanding tradition alone could be used as an argument against artificial trees, but there are so many more benefits to real Christmas trees.

The process of getting an authentic tree is part of the amazing experience. Families travel to a farm or lot to pick out a tree for themselves, and then take it home, happy with their choice. It is experiences such as these that help bring families closer together during a stressful time of year. 

The sheer appearance of a real tree is also far superior than that of a fake one. Artificial trees just cannot replicate the color or shape of a true evergreen, and as a result, real trees look better when fully decorated. Another component is the smell, yet another feature of real Christmas trees that cannot be perfectly replicated. 

While they may take a little more work, the benefits of real Christmas trees heavily outweigh those of artificial trees, and I assure you that there will be a real evergreen in my house this holiday season.