VS. 
Your Yuletide-o-Meter is at its peak: you’ve got the blinking lights strung everywhere from your chimney to your mailbox(the chimney so Santa and his reindeer can touch down safely and the mailbox so the postman can drop off your Amazon.com orders), the wreaths are adorning every exterior door including the family automobile, and your iPod stereo system is set to a constant shuffle, blaring out all things Christmas-y 24/7 and annoying your neighbors (and the neighborhood dogs) to no end.
“The only thing I need now,” you think to yourself, arms akimbo in satisfactory pride, “Is a tree.”
But should you get an artificial or real tree this year?
To answer this question, we consulted our Two Talented Tannenbaum experts, Sallie and Thad.
Point: Real Trees – Sallie
Me: “So, Sallie, Real versus Artificial.”
Sallie: “Personally, I love the real fir trees: nothing beats the smell you get from a real tree and if you have cats, they really enjoy them. Plus, if you have kids, it becomes a cool tradition in going to pick out the tree for the family! People get the artificial trees thinking they’re less hassle and better for the environment, but the plastics and other materials used to make them just sit in the landfills and don’t biodegrade for quite some time. For real trees, you can put them out on your curb and the city will come by to pick them up for no charge. One bit of advice, though, when you get your real tree, get it no more than a week or two before Christmas, because it can start to brown out and you’ll need to water it to keep it fresh.”
Counterpoint: Artificial Trees – Thad
Me: “So, Thad, Artificial versus Real.”
Thad: “No question, artificial trees are the way to go. Some people have allergies, and the needles leave a mess all over your floor. If you’ve ever stepped on one, it is NOT pleasant. With an artificial tree, if you have the room, you can keep it stored in your attic or a closet without taking it apart, and when it’s time for Christmas, ‘Boom,’ you can put it right out and plug in the lights. My kids are all grown up so trudging down rows of trees and fighting to get the thing situated on my car has less and less appeal for me. If you get a good tree, instead of throwing it away, you can keep it for years to come. It’s easy to maintain and quick to take out and put away. Plus, dogs are less likely to relieve themselves on an artificial tree.”
So, there you have it: the pros and cons for Real versus Artificial. You’ve heard it from the experts – what will you do? No matter how you choose to celebrate, have Happy Holidays! Maybe you could even consider an alternative to real and artificial…

Just a thought...