There are about 25 to 30 million Christmas trees sold every year, according to statista.com. However, artificial Christmas trees are becoming an alternative popular purchase around the holidays.

U.S. History and AP Government teacher Dennis Pascoe has had an artificial tree for 5-6 years and highly recommends this option “I used to have a real tree, but it was a mess with all the pine needles falling,” Pascoe said. “With kids, it’s just easier to have a fake tree because it’s less of a mess.”

Ellie Groustra ’22 has a real Christmas tree which her family made a tradition of to purchase.

“We go up to my grandma’s house in Lexington after Thanksgiving and go to a Christmas tree farm.” Groustra said, “We cut the tree down ourselves and the farm provides us with a saw and packages it for us.”

Katie Steinhauer ’19 said she buys a real Christmas tree every year with her family at Home Depot.

According to Steinhauer, the tree smells nice and it’s a family tradition to get a real one every year.

“You have to constantly take care of the tree,” Steinhauer said. “You have to water it and making sure it’s pinned up so it doesn’t fall.”

Tommy Thams ’19 said that, like Steinhauer, his real Christmas tree is nice and looks much better than a fake tree– it’s a tradition for his family to go to Eastern Market and pick out a tree.

“The real tree isn’t perfect,” Thams said. “One downside is that it’s a hassle getting the tree in the house and making sure it stands up straight.”

According to Errington Belyue ’19, his family switched over to the artificial tree three years ago, but a real Christmas tree still makes an appearance sometimes.

“In order to save the Christmas smell, my mom buys pine cones and puts them all around the house,” Belyue said. “The tree smell is still in the house and it’s really nice.”

According to Belyue, the fake Christmas tree has more advantages than disadvantages and prefers the fake tree over the real.

Emma Burke ’20 claims that fake trees are better but has also admitted to the endless pine needles that fall after cutting down the tree.

The popular debate will always be present but never be concluded on which is best.