Dreaming of a White Christmas with your Christmas trees at the nearest tree lot? Sometimes we forget that not all areas of the United States come complete with snow and freshly cut pine trees and local tree lots.

Our countrymen in Sunny Southern California have to get cut Christmas trees trucked in from colder states. The California Christmas Tree Association makes sure that everyone in the state can have their pick of Christmas trees from Cut-Your-Own lots to retail lots all over the area. They have even started a program in which they train Christmas tree lot owners in tree care, so that they may have the California Christmas tree Association stamp of approval, that it is fresh and eco friendly.

Florida also has a Christmas Tree Association to help those who want to find their own Choose-and-Cut Christmas tree lots and retail lots as well. Their website lists all Florida Christmas Tree Association lots, and gives tips and tricks to all consumers as to where and when to buy their certain type of tree of preference.

Arizona is the same. Temporary Christmas tree lots are set up all over the state to pick from hundreds of pre-cut or potted Christmas trees to use in your home decorating. You can even cut down your own tree in the Arizona national forest, but this is strictly regulated and can only be done with a permit. A limited number of permits are issued each year, and can only be gotten in a first come, first serve basis. Even so, the permits come with restrictions, like only one tree per residence is allowed, and no Christmas tree over ten feet can be cut.

However, these Christmas trees usually have to be carefully maintained as to cope with the weather. These states do not have Christmas trees growing out of their backyards for a reason, and with that comes easier wilting, shedding of needles and drying out of the Christmas tree they carefully picked out. Temperatures have to be adjusted to ensure against wilting and breakage. Misting of branches done more often than those in the cooler states.

It's in these states that artificial trees and artificial palm trees are the most beneficial. Needing little to no maintenance, artificial trees come in a box with four parts you can assemble in a matter of minutes, and then store fully decorated in the basement. There's no watering artificial trees, no sweeping up of falling pine needles. Artificial trees need no special permit, or a long waiting time for availability. Even artificial palm trees come in a gaggle of designs to fit any taste.

Beach towns are a cool place to live, but not any less festive because of Christmas trees and their availability in them. Artificial trees are a clever, environmentally sound alternative to all these things.