Christmas trees go up at various times before and after the Thanksgiving holiday.  While some schedule a day to go to a tree farm, others decorate artificial trees.

The advantage of real Christmas trees is that the tradition of hunting for a tree every year is a way to get you and your family out to have fun. The scent of fresh pine can create an amazing, magical Christmas atmosphere.

Having a real Christmas tree in your house can also lower anxiety and mental health; it can strengthen your immune system, and it can bring happiness during the holiday season.

One disadvantage of real Christmas trees is that it is expensive to buy one every year. Also, it is hard to water them to keep them fresh, and there could be bugs, fungi, or mold on them. If they are not kept hydrated, they are more prone to catching on fire.

The advantage of artificial Christmas trees is that you can reuse them and save money every year. You do not have to water it; it is easy to install, and its appearance is appealing to the eye.

The disadvantage of artificial Christmas trees is that they are also prone to catching on fire from electrical malfunctions in the lights. They are made of chemicals that can be harmful towards humans; they are not recyclable, and the production and transportation of them can add to carbon footprint.

Patriots have different viewpoints about whether or not to have real or artificial trees.

Sophomore Danica Ross said, “I personally like artificial trees more than real trees because after time, the real trees start to get very messy and require you to vacuum the floor a lot. So, in that case, my parents use artificial trees.”

Freshman Payten Root has had both real and artificial trees. “I think real trees smell better, but it’s a lot of maintenance. “When the ornaments are on my tree, it starts to really feel like Christmas.” Sophomore Izzy Dobrzykowski said that she’s only ever had artificial trees because it’s easier on her family although “I love the idea of having a real Christmas tree. I personally like all white lights better because they are more aesthetically pleasing to me.”

Freshman Clara Madore said, “I like real trees because they smell better, and it makes the house smell good. It also makes it feel more like Christmas. . . I first put lights on the tree, then I put on a lot of ornaments.”

Sophomore Marquis Mingle said that he prefers “artificial because we don’t want to get a new one every year, and we put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving when all of our family is home to help decorate and celebrate together.”