‘Rockin Around’ The Real or Fake Tree this Christmas?

Molly Kelly 

Staff Writer            

Imagine you walk into your living room and are greeted by the sight of bright lights, the sound of a crackling fireplace, the taste of fresh christmas cookies straight out of the oven, and the feeling of a fuzzy blanket…the tree lights up the room, and it’s a beautiful sight, but something’s missing. What is it?

While the Christmas spirit rings in the air, that natural scent of pine tree and joy is lacking throughout the room. And why is that? Because you chose the wrong option…a fake tree! While fake trees can be necessary for those with allergies, a real tree (if you have the option), plucked from the beautiful woods of nature, brings that unforgettable smell that ignites the whole house in Christmas spirit and joy, in such ways that no other candle or dupe can recreate. Your Christmas spirit is about as real as your tree, which is why you need one that has been freshly cut from the depths of the North Pole.

There is more to real trees than just their delightful smell, however. Picture this: you’re walking through your house a few short months after Christmas, perhaps it’s April, and Santa’s sleigh has long flown away. You feel a small, sharp prick against your foot, and peek down to see what caused the ruckus. It’s a tiny little bristle, and seeing the sight of it brings you right back to Christmas Eve, to being wrapped in a warm and fuzzy blanket, while snow is falling and “Elf” plays on the television. Don’t you love finding little bristles all around your house for months even after Christmas? Finding a little pine needle is only possible when they fall off of a real tree, and it is the best way to bring such emotions back from December, even for a brief moment, even when the season has long passed. Finding these pine needles will help you find the Christmas happiness you once felt, even months later, and for that alone, a real tree is worth it.

The nostalgia a real tree gives to its owners is not the best reason to get one, however. Arguably the best part about having a real tree is the personal experience of picking it out yourself. Picking out a fake tree does not require family debate or tradition, it does not require a long drive to the Christmas tree farm with a blasting radio playing traditional holiday tunes. A real tree does. Going to the Christmas tree farm, bundling up for the cold, deciding whether you want: a fat one or a skinny one, a tall or short one…nothing is more fun than that. Seeing your dad hold the tree while the rest of the family nods in agreement or decides to look at another, the feeling of seeing the “just right” one loaded on top of the car, the extremely necessary hot cocoa you get from Dunkin’ on the way back, it’s utterly perfect. Fake trees are much less personal. Fake trees are incredibly lame. Real trees are top tier. Plus, Santa prefers to lay his gifts and eat his homemade cookies underneath a real tree, smelling the scent of the fresh pine, watching the pine needles drift to the floor, embracing the Christmas spirit with as much joy as he can, just as he does with the real trees in the North Pole.

So, if you normally have a fake tree, think about what you’re missing. Think about the joy you will be missing out on this Christmas season, the unforgettable experience you will lose by not picking out the “just right” tree! Think about the look of disapproval on Santa’s face when he shimmies down your chimney, and sees your saddened tree. Trust me, the more real your tree, the more real your spirit, and the better chance you have of making it onto his nice list this year!