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 Many people now use artificial trees to celebrate the holidays in a tradition that actually predates Christianity. In the not too distant past, the norm was to either to go cut one or buy one from a vendor that sold cut evergreens, Christmas wreaths, and greenery. Families would take their choice home, set it up, hang the lights and Christmas ornaments, clean up the needles that fall, and of course keep it watered. Today, most people seem to purchase the modern version--artificial trees. Though some people still prefer the real deal, most people have found that it is too time consuming and too much effort to maintain because of the fire hazard and messiness of fallen needles that comes with them.
When the idea of fake ones first came about, people made a wooden pyramid and stuck feathers on it. Needless to say, they have improved a lot over the years. In the 30’s, bristles made from animal hair were used instead of feathers. Finally, in more recent years the plastic ones we know today came to be. These are constructed of PVC shavings. Many artificial Christmas trees today are almost perfectly realistic in color, shape, and even needle count.
There are many different varieties of artificial trees to choose from that will fit a myriad of spaces and styles. The fullest looking would be the Spruce. These require plenty of room to put this one up. The Fir is the most commonly purchased for the holidays. It too is full looking, but not quite as big as the Spruce. A tall and slender choice would be the Pine. A lot of people get these because they do not have the spare room to work with. They are great in small rooms and apartments or starter homes.
If you do not like the typical green color there is a good selection of other colors to choose from. Manufacturers now make colors like white, silver, red, blue, pink, and even some that look like snow has fallen on it. Companies keep making it easier for us it seems, because now they are even available as prelit Christmas trees which come in several colors and varieties of Christmas lights. No more untangling or hanging lights! Artificial trees come in almost any style you want.
Along with all of the different styles that they come in, they also have a wide variety of sizes in which they come in. Ironically they even make tiny fake (plastic) ornaments to hang on the big fake tree. No matter what size is needed or wanted, it is surely obtainable. One popular size is about one foot tall. This size has been labeled a “table top” Christmas tree because that is where most people put them. They can go anywhere in the house including windows, kitchen tables, even in powder rooms. Some are also as tall as a high ceiling.
There are many advantages that come with purchasing artificial trees. Whether it is personally cut down or obtained from a vendor, there is a fair amount of maintenance needed when decorating with an authentic Pine or Fir. They must be watered every other day, and needles that have fallen off must be vacuumed often. Sometimes, even with diligent care, it will most likely be a dead Christmas decoration before Christmas Day and certainly before Epiphany for those who celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas. Save time, money, and hassle by going artificial. The best selections are available online from year round specialty Christmas stores.
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