Keeping your house clean at Christmas can be pretty stressful when you’ve got guests constantly visiting and food in your oven. You don’t want the added pressure of having to clean up after your Christmas tree. It’s an age-old question, which tree is better, a real or fake one? Every household will opt for one or the other this Christmas, so will it be the sweet-smelling real pine tree, or a hassle-free and cleaner artificial tree? There are several pros and cons to both.
What is the price of each style of tree?
How much a Christmas tree costs is actually dependent on a couple of things, like where you’re buying the tree from and what kind of needle tree you want. Saying that, real trees do tend to be slightly cheaper than fake trees, for the fact that they won’t last anywhere near as long. On the other hand, artificial trees tend to be priced anywhere from £25 to over £100.
Which tree is more eco-friendly?
Both trees have a carbon footprint, however, the carbon footprint of a real tree (if disposed of properly) is significantly less than an artificial tree. For the average artificial tree to have the same carbon footprint as a real one, the artificial tree has to be used for over twelve years. So, a real tree has much less of a carbon footprint than an artificial one.
Can each tree be reused next year?
Most people put artificial trees in their lofts or garages between Christmases. This way, they don’t have to go out and buy a new tree every year. Real trees can be reused too. Pot your tree in your garden, and it will grow and then you don’t have to worry about going to your garden centre and finding another tree next year.
Are fake trees easier to decorate?
Yes, fake trees tend to be easier to decorate because of the fact that a fake tree doesn’t have any of the prickly pine needles that a real tree has. Wrapping lights on your tree is already a difficult enough task, without the addition of pine needles constantly prickling you when you’re trying to arrange them. Artificial trees are safe and flame resistant too, which means that you don’t have to worry about any fire or safety issues when your tree is in your home. Artificial trees also don’t drop needles, so you won’t have to be concerned about your tree dropping all of its pines before Christmas day.
Are real trees harder to clean up after?
Without a doubt, real trees are harder to clean up after. They will naturally drop pine needles leaving a mess on the floor. There are some tricks you can use to make sure that your floor isn’t completely covered in needles. One trick which may sound a little strange is to spray your Christmas tree with hairspray before decorating it. This way you’ll find that fewer pine needles will fall off your tree and onto your carpet.
However, by keeping on top of your cleaning and vacuuming you can ensure that your tree doesn’t cause too much of a problem when you’re trying to enjoy any festivities. If things are getting on top of you, then think about letting a cleaning service do the hard work for you.
A real tree may also be problematic if you suffer from allergies. Many people suffer from an allergy to pine needles, but you may not find this out until you’ve brought the tree into your home. Just be aware that if you’re prone to allergies, getting a real tree may not be great for you, especially if pine needles keep dropping on your floor, and are being walked around your house.
Do artificial trees cause a mess?
Artificial trees tend to be pretty hassle-free. The only mess they really cause is the cardboard box that they are stored in. With an artificial tree, you don’t have to worry about watering your tree or constantly picking up pine needles from the carpet.
Are real trees easy to dispose of?
As the festive season comes to an end, millions of real Christmas trees are dumped each year. Real Christmas trees are in fact recyclable and not many people know this. Real trees can be shredded into clippings which then can be used in parks, woodlands and gardens across the country. Other options include planting your real tree in your garden and reusing it the following year.
If real trees aren’t disposed of properly then they could end up causing more environmental damage as they end up in landfills. If you do want to make sure that your tree doesn’t end up in a landfill, then you could always drop your tree off at a local recycling centre. Alternatively, some councils do arrange for Christmas trees to be collected once the festive period is over.
Which tree is more appropriate for a house with children?
The answer to this question is pretty simple. Real trees take work, they drop pines and need to be watered consistently. If you’ve got a young child crawling on the floor, or a toddler looking to put anything and everything in their mouth – then this could be a problem. Pines should not be eaten, so if you’ve got a child that might do this, then it’s probably a good idea to stick with an artificial tree this year. When your children get older, this may change and then you can think about getting a real tree.
The judgement: which tree is better?
We’d say to avoid a messy house in one of the most stressful periods of the year, then an artificial tree is the way forward. Although you may miss out on the smells of having a real Christmas tree in your home, there is the added stress of cleaning up after it afterwards. Christmastime can make your house messy enough, with presents and people coming in and out of your home. So take added steps to reduce any stress this Christmas season by opting for a tree that will ensure your home remains clean.