Fake or fir: a Christmas tradition debate
Artificial trees aren't a modern shortcut — they date back to 1880s Germany, where goose-feather trees were built to help offset deforestation from the real-tree trade. The debate over which is "more Christmas" has been running ever since.
A real fir brings the scent and the ritual of picking one out each year, but needs water, drops needles, and only lasts a season. An artificial tree skips all of that and can be reused for a decade or more, which matters if your ornaments are the kind you build a collection around.
There's no correct answer here — only which trade-off fits your household. Either way, the ornaments are what make it feel like your tree.
