Christmas Home Decor & Unique Gift Ideas

Setting up the Christmas tree is without a doubt one of the most exciting of holiday activities! One of the biggest decisions, however, is whether to go with an artificial Christmas tree or a fresh one. Either choice has it’s pros and cons that must be weighed before making this all important decision.

Advantages of Artificial Christmas Trees

• No dry needles to shed on your carpet or stick in your feet-ouch!
• Less tree maintenance—no need to add water or deal with fastening tree stand screws into the tree trunk when setting up.
• No concerns about bringing any “pests” that may be living in a real tree inside your home. Your houseplants will thank you!
• No need to worry about family members or friends who may be allergic to fresh Christmas trees.
• Unlike fresh Christmas trees, you can pick up an artificial tree at almost any time (at least on-line) during the year which will help avoid the last minute rush to get it home. You can get a jump on organizing your Christmas home décor items so that when the holidays roll around, you’re not caught in the frenzied Christmas rush to put up a tree.
• Due to the ease of availability, it’s feasible to buy more than one tree to decorate various rooms in your home. You can even put one in the kids’ rooms. They can choose their Christmas theme and be creative with their own tree!

Advantages of a Fresh Christmas Tree

• Most would agree that a fresh Christmas tree has a wonderful and inviting scent. They literally “smell” like Christmas!
• Of course, the limbs are usually fuller and “real” looking–and you just can’t beat the “natural” appearance of a fresh Christmas tree. They may not be perfectly formed, but they have a beauty all their own.
• Some would say that real Christmas trees are easier to decorate since the branches are usually thicker making the decorations less likely to slip off.
• Set up, while a little messier, is usually a bit quicker than assembling an artificial tree. Putting up and taking down artificial Christmas trees for storage can be time consuming and tedious.
• Real Christmas trees are quicker to take down and dispose of. When the holiday is over, you can just bag the tree and drag it to the curb for pick-up or recycling into mulch—thus, helping the environment.

There are obvious positives and negatives to either choice and, of course, the choice is yours. Either way, the most important thing is that you and your family have fun and take time to enjoy this most joyous of Christmas holiday traditions!