The debate over fake or real Christmas trees returns each holiday season when families decide which type of tree to purchase. Both options have advantages and drawbacks to weigh when determining the best fit for your home.

    This guide examines five key factors — cost, convenience, eco-friendliness, health, and local economic impact — to help inform your decision between artificial and live Christmas trees. Carefully considering these elements can lead families to the right tree for their priorities, lifestyle, budget, and values.


    Convenience

    Convenience is a major factor for many families when choosing between real and artificial Christmas trees.

    Artificial trees offer clear time-saving advantages, but some find the annual real tree ritual worthwhile despite extra work.

    When weighing convenience, artificial Christmas trees offer significant ease-of-use and time-saving advantages over real trees. Fake trees simply require pulling them from storage, assembling, and decorating — no other time or hassle is required. 

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    There is no need to travel to cut down or purchase a real tree each season. Artificial trees also don’t shed pesky needles on floors and furniture or require frequent watering. Pre-lit artificial trees take convenience even further, illuminating with the flip of a switch.

    On the other hand, real Christmas trees involve an annual hunt to select the perfect tree, complicated transport home, frequent watering and care, and vacuuming fallen needles. 

    However, properly preserving real trees and disposing of them after the holidays takes just a small time investment. Some find real trees worth the extra work just for the authentic experience. But there’s no denying artificial trees win out if convenience is a priority.


    Eco-Friendliness

    At first glance, plastic artificial trees seem like the less sustainable option over using real, biodegradable Christmas trees. However, when examining total environmental impact, neither choice is definitively eco-friendly.

    Regarding real trees, many municipalities offer Christmas tree recycling programs through waste management departments. Real trees can be dropped off to be chipped into free mulch for public use. Some towns also create habitats by sinking discarded trees in lakes. I recommend checking for local recycling options to give real trees an extra sustainability boost.

    The plastics and metals comprising artificial trees are not biodegradable or recyclable. Unfortunately, discarded fake trees overburden landfills and contribute to plastic pollution.

    Yet, if re-used for many years, the one-time manufacturing impacts of each fake tree are minimized over its lifetime. Responsibly repurposing or recycling faux tree materials also reduces waste impacts.

    Real Christmas trees are carbon-absorbing and biodegradable, with the potential to be recycled or reused in various ways. However, the annual cycle of growing millions of farm-raised trees solely for Christmas has its environmental effects. Significant water, pesticides, and fertilizers go into large-scale Christmas tree farming each season. 

    Much of this agricultural runoff pollute nearby rivers, lakes, and oceans. Real trees also require fuel for transport from farm to home.

    So, while real trees themselves are green and recyclable, the annual process of supplying millions of farm-raised Christmas trees worldwide is far from environmentally sustainable. 


    Health

    Artificial Christmas trees contain plastics, metals, and potentially toxic chemicals used as colorants, flame retardants, and for molding into realistic branch shapes. 

    Exposure to these materials — especially when inhaling dust while assembling fake trees — may pose health risks, particularly for sensitive groups like children or the elderly.

    According to scientists, inhaling plastic particles and chemicals from artificial trees can irritate the lungs and airways. Some synthetic tree components like lead are also toxic if ingested from hand-to-mouth contact. 

    Prolonged exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) outgassed from artificial trees may even cause headaches, nausea, and organ damage.

    However, potential artificial tree health risks are manageable. Allowing new fake trees to air out before assembling can decrease initial chemical off-gassing. High-quality trees made with non-toxic polyethylene plastic and wire frames minimize hazards. Proper handling and frequent cleaning while decorating also reduce particle and dust exposures.

    Real Christmas trees contain no plastics or heavy metals, eliminating those health risks. However, live trees also prompt mold, mildew, and allergy concerns when brought indoors. 

    Their pollen and pine nettles may irritate eyes, skin, and nasal or bronchial airways in those prone to allergies. Proper tree selection, care, and disposal within two weeks of bringing a tree indoors limit these live tree health drawbacks.


    Local Economy Impact

    Where you buy an artificial vs. real Christmas tree impacts the economy. Most artificial trees are mass-produced overseas, with purchases supporting big retailers and international supply chains. 

    Returns from those sales rarely benefit local communities. Of course, some handcrafted artificial trees are created in America, but those specialty items have limited availability.

    Locally purchased real Christmas trees have a positive economic effect, with dollars going directly back into your community. 

    The majority of live Christmas trees are grown on farms in the United States and Canada. Buying a real tree from a neighborhood lot creates seasonal jobs in your area and provides income for local farms, retailers, and tree recyclers. 

    Outsourcing Christmas tree supply overseas would devastate communities relying on this important seasonal revenue stream.

    So, if you value supporting local businesses, real Christmas trees purchased in your hometown offer clear local economic advantages. Just be sure to ask where your tree retailer sources their live inventory to guarantee purchases help neighborhood nurseries and farms.


    So, Is a Real or Fake Christmas Tree Better for Your Home?

    In the end, whether an artificial or real Christmas tree makes sense depends on your priorities. Cost-conscious families may prefer the long-term savings of reusable fake trees. 

    Those valuing convenience favor hassle-free artificial trees needing little maintenance. In contrast, eco-conscious households could make arguments for either natural or artificial trees depending on sustainability perspectives.

    Health impacts and exposure risks vary, meaning sensitive individuals should take extra precautions with artificial trees and off-gassing chemicals indoors. Buying local provides the clearest community benefit of natural Christmas trees. Lastly, your lifestyle may make a fake tree the wiser investment, especially if caring for a live tree seems burdensome.

    Today’s Homeowner Tips

    Carefully weigh your budget, values, and family needs when deciding between real or fake trees this holiday season. Select the option aligning with your priorities while looking for creative ways to minimize any downsides — like purchasing real petite trees or airing out brand-new artificial trees before decorating. 

    With an informed decision, your family can enjoy a beautiful and meaningful Christmas tree displaying treasured decorations, ornaments, and memories.


    FAQs About Real vs. Fake Christmas Trees

    Does a real Christmas tree or artificial tree cost more?

    Artificial Christmas trees have higher up-front costs but provide long-term savings since you can use one fake tree for eight to 10 years on average. Real trees require purchasing a new tree each holiday season, costing significantly more over many years of Christmases.


    Which option is better for the environment: real or artificial trees?

    Both real and artificial trees have environmental pros and cons. Fake trees create plastic waste, but minimizing new purchases reduces impacts. In my experience, real trees are biodegradable but require substantial agricultural inputs and transportation fuels annually. There is no definitive eco-friendly option.


    Are artificial Christmas trees toxic to humans or pets?

    Artificial trees may contain toxic lead, VOCs, and other chemicals potentially harmful through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. However, risks are minimized by purchasing high-quality, non-toxic trees and properly handling them during use and disposal.


    Do real Christmas trees or fake trees cause more allergies?

    Both tree types can prompt allergic reactions in sensitive people. Fake trees contain chemical irritants and accumulated dust. In contrast, real trees have plant materials and pollen that aggravate allergies for some, especially when mold grows. Those prone to allergies should take care of both tree varieties.


    Why are real Christmas trees better for the local economy?

    Most real Christmas trees are grown domestically on U.S. and Canadian farms and purchased locally. That benefits tree growers, seasonal retailers, and workers in your community.

    Fake trees are generally mass-produced overseas, with money leaving local economies. Buying real trees from local businesses circulates income locally.


    Editorial Contributors
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    Coty Perry

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    Coty Perry is a lawn and garden writer for Today’s Homeowner. He focuses on providing homeowners with actionable tips that relate to the “Average Joe” who is looking to achieve a healthier and greener lawn. When he isn’t writing he can almost always be found coaching youth football or on some trail in Pennsylvania in search of the next greatest fishing hole.

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    Amy DeYoung

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    Amy DeYoung has a passion for educating and motivating homeowners to improve their lives through home improvement projects and preventative measures. She is a content writer and editor specializing in pest control, moving, window, and lawn/gardening content for Today’s Homeowner. Amy utilizes her own experience within the pest control and real estate industry to educate readers. She studied business, communications, and writing at Arizona State University.

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