One of the more controversial retail items of the Christmas season, the artificial Christmas tree, is surrounded with myths designed to discourage homeowners from buying one. The Christmas Tree Association took it upon itself to debunk a few of these myths and we find ourselves nodding our heads, agreeing with those truths.

Myth Number 1: Artificial Christmas Trees do more harm to the environment than good.

An artificial Christmas tree is made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a plastic that is made to last for more than twenty years, depending on use. PVC is also used because of its stable composition, i.e. if it is disposed of correctly it will not pollute the environment. Furthermore, an artificial tree can be reused for years, preventing the death of real trees every year – using an artificial Christmas tree prevents the loss of 10 real trees on average. There are even pre lit artificial Christmas trees that use LED lights, energy efficient light bulbs that last for years, to use less energy and reduce its impact on the environment.

Myth Number 2: An Artificial Christmas tree looks fake.

Even the most discerning customers buy artificial Christmas trees, such as in Colorado where Christmas trees grow in abundance. The NY Times covered that the artificial Christmas tree market has grown in five years, 7.5% in fact. The Taste of Home forum even chimed in on the Real vs. Artificial tree concluding that most artificial Christmas tree manufacturers make lifelike pre lit artificial Christmas trees that can be easily mistaken for the real thing from afar, while some use a technology that mimics the feel of needles.

Myth Number 3: An Artificial Tree doesn’t smell as good as a real Christmas tree.

An artificial Christmas tree doesn’t smell anything like the real thing, but there are ways to get the fresh pine scent in your home. The scent can suffuse your home via fragrance oils, candles, sprays, allowing homeowners to bring that comforting smell to any room of the home, not only that which contains the tree.

An artificial Christmas tree is a very convenient, modern way of coping with holiday stress. Finding the truth behind the hype and myths can help you enjoy your tree even more!