Which Christmas tree is better, artificial or live? Live or artificial: choosing a Christmas tree Pros and cons of a live Christmas tree.

It’s hard to imagine without a Christmas tree. This is the main attribute of the holiday. And decorating it is a whole tradition in which, as a rule, the whole family participates. But which is better: an artificial or natural tree? And how to choose a Christmas tree?

Today huge selection artificial Christmas trees, which allows you to buy any: imitating spruce or pine, green or white, matte and shiny. The most important advantage of artificial Christmas trees and the argument in their favor is that they preserve and extend the life of living Christmas trees. And this is a significant contribution to the conservation of nature and the ecology of the planet.

In addition, if you choose between an artificial Christmas tree, natural spruce or pine, then the first option is the most profitable for the family budget. Having spent well once, you don’t need to look for and buy a Christmas tree every year; it’s better to do other things while preparing for the holiday.

Of course, if you have nowhere to store an artificial Christmas tree throughout the year, or you want to enjoy the smell and aroma of natural pine needles, then the second and third Options are better for you.

Today there is another option - a live spruce planted in a pot. It will last longer and you won’t have to throw it away. But such a tree will not grow in a pot, so over time it will need to be replanted.

If we replace a natural tree with an artificial one, the holiday will not suffer. If in doubt, tell your family and friends what motivated you to buy an artificial tree. They will understand and support you, because in this way you save the forest from extinction.

There is another option that allows you to save the tree and make the holiday fabulous, but it is better suited for a family living in a private house. Dress up a beautiful living spruce or pine tree growing in the yard. It will delight both you and your neighbors. And in New Year's Eve you can go out into the street and dance around it.

How to choose an artificial Christmas tree? What criteria should it meet?

Today, there are Christmas trees of various manufacturers and price categories. The price of Christmas trees is influenced by the following factors:
- material of manufacture;
- size;
— presence of backlight;
— method of installation and assembly;
- presence of decor.

A high-quality Christmas tree must first and foremost be safe. Therefore, pay attention that it does not have a sharp unpleasant odor so that its needles do not fall off, so that the branches are securely attached to the frame, so that the frame is strong and the material is not flammable.

When choosing a Christmas tree, be guided by the size of the room. Don't buy a tree that is too big. It's not very convenient, beautiful, and not safe.

If there are children in the house, then it is also important that the tree is stable.

In general, if you don’t want to collect Christmas tree needles from the floor later, buy an artificial tree. It has a long service life and will not cause allergies (if it is of high quality and correctly chosen).

Now a few words about natural Christmas trees.

Despite all the advantages of artificial Christmas trees, many people still prefer natural ones. They have a pleasant smell, are completely environmentally friendly, beautiful appearance and relatively low cost.

But, if an artificial tree can be bought at any time, then it is better to buy a natural tree closer to the New Year.

Unfortunately, buying and installing natural spruce has its drawbacks:
— short term suitability;
— they constantly crumble;
- if the branches and needles of the Christmas tree dry out, they can become a source of fire;
— if one of the family members is allergic to pine needles, then the idea of ​​purchasing a natural Christmas tree will have to be abandoned.

When buying natural spruce, pay attention to the following factors:
- size;
- symmetry - the tree should be beautiful and even on all sides;
— freshness;
— whether the needles are falling off.

If you don’t mind putting an artificial Christmas tree in your house, but you like the smell of natural pine needles, then you can purchase a special aroma oil, aroma candles, or decorate your house with branches of a live Christmas tree.

Before the New Year, almost every family thinks about what kind of Christmas tree they will have this year. Well, of course, this is main symbol New Year's holiday. Someone confidently goes to the market to choose a real Christmas tree (choosing a real Christmas tree is just like choosing a watermelon - a whole art), someone takes out an old artificial Christmas tree from the pantry, and someone will buy a new artificial tree for the first time this year. website

This article will be useful for those who cannot decide whether to stick family traditions and go to the market for a live Christmas tree or still take pity on the Christmas tree and buy its artificial brother, which is no worse than the real one, by the way.

Several facts in favor of artificial spruce.

1. Live Christmas trees are sold at the last minute. Whereas you can buy an artificial Christmas tree in advance and then not have to run around in the cold looking for a beautiful, lush tree. Moreover, you can order an artificial Christmas tree in an online store, which is even easier and often cheaper.

2. Few people bet live Christmas tree on December 31 and January 1. Most people admire the decorated Christmas tree until Christmas, and some, as in the joke, even until March 8 :) A live Christmas tree begins to crumble much earlier. The constant picking up of fallen pine needles overshadows the holiday.

3. Psychological pressure of the “greens”. Some people buy live Christmas trees out of guilt. After all, these are not flowers. You can't grow them in a month. Christmas trees grow very slowly, have they really grown that long to please you for a week? Does your conscience bother you? 🙂 Then read other facts :)

4. It turns out that some people may be allergic to resin and pine needles. Do you have any allergies? What if one of your guests has it? In terms of households, live Christmas trees are also not desirable in a house where there are children and pets. Cats simply gorge themselves on pine needles (apparently they are looking for vitamins in them), and children can simply attach pine needles to their clothes and drag them around the house.

Benefits of artificial Christmas trees.

1. First of all, we need to remind you that the design of artificial Christmas trees has changed noticeably since our childhood. The image of the first one sits firmly in our heads plastic Christmas tree, which didn’t have much festive look. Nowadays Christmas trees are sold in stores various materials and different appearance. Small and large, wide and narrow, plastic and paper. What is there? What can we say about Christmas trees of unusual shapes, unusual colors, or ready-made decorated Christmas trees.

2. Durability of artificial Christmas trees. If you don’t skimp and buy an expensive, high-quality Christmas tree, you can be sure that it will serve you for more than 5 years. And in next year you will only buy new ones christmas balls, toys, electric garlands and other tinsel, depending on how you want to decorate the holiday of 2012, 2013, 2014 and so on.

3. Artificial Christmas trees are easy to store, easy to assemble and easy to use. The main thing is to make sure when purchasing that the tree is easy to assemble and has instructions in Russian, and not in Chinese, as Chinese Christmas trees are often imported to Russia in bulk. As for the use of artificial spruce, it is safe for children and animals and does not splinter. In terms of safety, it is also important to make sure that the tree is stable and will not fall.

4. An artificial Christmas tree does not smell. For some, this may be a minus; in this case, you can go to the forest or to the market and buy spruce branches. Make them beautiful bouquet and put it in a vase on New Year's table. The smell will be with you throughout the feast. But it will be possible to apply artificial snow to the artificial Christmas tree.

5. Artificial Christmas trees look much better than real ones. If, in search of a live Christmas tree at the market, you run from one seller to another, then in the artificial Christmas tree store all the models are lush, even, the branches are distributed evenly along the trunk and there are no bald spots. And the top of the tree securely holds the star or spire and does not fall on its side.

You can read more about what types of artificial Christmas trees there are here:

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  Ready decorated Christmas trees with New Year's toys For a present.

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  Christmas decorations and candles from Russian manufacturers for the New Year.

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One of the main advantages of artificial wood is no needles on the floor. The Christmas tree will not fall off, which means there is time to clean up after New Year's holidays will be reduced.

In addition, you can use an artificial Christmas tree many times; this not only saves your budget, but also the time that you have to spend on choosing a natural tree.

By choosing non-natural spruce, you help reduce damage damage caused to nature by illegal cutting of young coniferous trees. The growth rate of evergreen plants is very low - about 10-20 cm per year, so the planting of new plants does not keep up with large-scale cuttings.

But still, an artificial tree, even if it is produced in accordance with the highest quality standards, made of plastic using other chemical compounds that are often not written about on the label. It is known that polyvinyl chloride (PVC), from which artificial trees are most often made, is created from petroleum resources and is laden with harmful lead compounds. Moreover, with all its positive qualities polyvinyl chloride is the most dangerous of all types of plastics; scientists claim that when heated, PVC releases an analogue of the poisonous gas gas - phosgene.

Natural spruce

Among the advantages of natural spruce - incomparable the smell of pine. These evergreen plants release essential oils into the air that have a bactericidal effect; some types of pine are even capable of killing the tuberculosis bacillus. In addition, the pine smell has a beneficial effect on nervous system, relieves tension and nervousness. In general, essential oils of coniferous trees have long been widely used for the prevention of respiratory diseases and disinfection. And, of course, for many of us, the smell of a living Christmas tree is the smell of childhood.

Spruce needles can will come in handy after the New Year holidays. So, useful mask, which relieves hair from dryness and brittleness, can be prepared by placing several spruce branches in a pan of water, “boiling” them for 1 hour. The resulting broth should be infused for 20 minutes, and then add 1 whipped egg white and a few drops of cognac.

And by scrolling spruce needles (previously separated from the branches) through a meat grinder and adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass, you will get an excellent paste for colds - the compress can be applied to the chest or inhaled. In the end, you can make an exclusive ecological mattress from the fallen needles.

There are also disadvantages. As is known, choose natural spruce or pine is quite difficult, given the pre-New Year's hype and dishonesty of sellers and suppliers.

It should be taken into account that brittle branches indicate an old tree, and if there is a black border several centimeters wide on the cut of the trunk, then the tree will not stand for long. The color of the tree should be rich, and if you rub a few needles between your fingers, an oily trace and a pleasant pine smell should remain on the skin. Prices at Christmas tree markets last year ranged from 900 to 1,500 rubles per meter, depending on the area where the forest beauty was brought from.

A live Christmas tree requires attention and special care, which not everyone is ready for. To save a tree, you need to be patient. For example, to prepare a solution for a Christmas tree, you need to dissolve an aspirin tablet, a pinch of salt and a spoon of sugar in water. Aspirin prevents the development of bacteria, and salt and sugar are needed for nutrition. Then you should mix this solution with clean sand and install the tree so that the tree trunk is immersed by 15-20 centimeters. In addition, it is recommended to spray the spruce with fresh water from time to time.

On the eve of the New Year, many people are faced with the question: “Which tree should be put up this year - live or artificial? Under which tree does Santa Claus prefer to bring his gifts and sweets?

If you are used to buying a live Christmas tree every year, it may be time to consider purchasing an artificial tree that will last you at least 10-15 years without compromising its appearance. Or maybe this year your artificial Christmas tree will rest a little longer, and you will buy a small living and fragrant coniferous tree?

Both options for choosing a New Year tree have their advantages and disadvantages. If there is a baby in the house, then you should definitely think through all the nuances of the choice so that Christmas tree was not only beautiful, but also high quality and safe.

There are more than enough adherents of both types of spruce. To do right choice, you need to figure it out and make a list of all the pros and cons live and artificial spruce.

Natural forest beauty

The most important and captivating advantage of a living Christmas tree is its indescribable aroma. The smell of resin and essential oils, which exude a tree trunk and needles, in itself gives a festive mood and nostalgia for childhood. The aroma of wood has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, reduces muscle tension and anxiety.

However, it is worth remembering that this is a living plant, which is destroyed only in order to put it in a hot, dry room for 7-10 days, hang toys on it, and then throw it in the trash.

Fans of live spruce trees can argue that many of them were specially grown in forestry specifically for the New Year holidays and green areas do not suffer from ruthless cutting down. Well, choosing a green New Year's attribute is up to each person. Just remember that a felled tree in a house, gradually dying, will turn yellow, crumble and slowly turn into a sad, drying trunk with dull needles.

People who still prefer living trees, in addition to annoying dry needles on the carpet, should also be wary of all sorts of allergic reactions, especially in young children.

A live Christmas tree requires attention and special care, and not everyone is ready for such actions.

In order for it to retain its aroma and appearance longer, it is necessary to prepare a special composition with aspirin, salt, sugar and sand. This solution prevents the appearance of bacteria and nourishes the tree for a while. In addition, live spruce should be sprayed with cool water once a day!

The most humane option and best idea to celebrate the New Year with a natural Christmas tree - this buying a coniferous tree in a pot. The spruce will be truly alive, with a positive aura and atmosphere. After the holidays, the Christmas tree can be planted in the ground in your garden plot.

By the way, now there are many companies that provide potted trees for rent. You can select a Christmas tree, suitable parameters and color online, and then place an order. The company's employees will deliver and install the tree in the apartment themselves, and take it back after the holidays. Everyone is happy, especially the children and the Christmas tree itself.

Another one of interesting options- some people, instead of a Christmas tree in a pot, buy cypress trees, which play the role of a forest beauty for several days, and then move to their dacha or garden.

Faux Christmas tree

Modern artificial Christmas trees often look much more beautiful and elegant than natural ones.

Besides attractive looking, such trees have a number of other advantages:

• A wide range to suit every taste and budget. Modern artificial Christmas trees differ in height and fluffiness, in color and type of attachment of branches to the trunk, and in completeness (many are sold together with toys and tinsel). You can also choose an LED Christmas tree, which no longer requires a garland
• Storing and installing an artificial Christmas tree is very easy; even an 8-year-old child can handle such tasks. Such trees are as stable as possible; their branches do not bend under the weight of toys.
• The owner of the apartment does not need to clean the carpets from dry and prickly needles, and also close the room where the Christmas tree is located from pets
• Christmas trees good quality made of fire-resistant materials, so they are safe
• Unlike living Christmas trees, these Christmas trees are hypoallergenic

• The most important advantage is that buying such a Christmas tree preserves wildlife.

Summarize

Based on all the considered advantages and disadvantages of live and artificial Christmas trees, we can conclude that it is better and more profitable to opt for an artificial tree. The lack of pine aroma can be easily compensated for by placing several spruce paws in vases. Artificial Christmas trees do not harm the ecosystem, while maintaining the integrity of a huge number of forest beauties. And after the holidays, children and adults will not see the depressing picture of spruce “corpses” being dumped near their homes.

In any case, no matter what Christmas tree you choose, the most important thing during the holiday is your mood and the people with whom you will decorate it.

Soon it will be necessary to decide how, with whom and where to meet New Year how to create one at home festive mood. And what best creates the mood that a person thinks of when he mentions the New Year holidays? Of course, a Christmas tree! The one under which your children will find gifts, under whose branches they will recite holiday rhymes! It’s worth worrying about the New Year’s beauty in advance. First decide for yourself which Christmas tree you prefer - artificial or natural.

The choice, of course, is yours. But I believe that in our time we should stop choice on artificial Christmas trees. And here are my arguments in their favor.

1.Economic

Prices for all types of Christmas trees are rising from year to year. By purchasing an artificial Christmas tree, you will get rid of considerable annual expenses. This tree will serve you for at least 10 years. Some Christmas trees last much longer.

2. Ecological

If you choose an artificial Christmas tree, you will save the forest from deforestation. Your Christmas tree will save at least 10 forest beauties (1 for each year of operation).

3. Just an argument

Supporters of natural Christmas trees may argue that a non-real one does not have the charming aroma of pine needles and freshness, that a live Christmas tree is better than an artificial one, because it LIVE.

I agree that when you bring a felled tree into your home, the smell is very pleasant. But... This smell will not last long. And cutting down an entire tree that has been growing for several years just because of the smell is somehow inhumane.

If you want a pine scent, buy (or find) a couple of sprigs. Create a New Year's composition or wreath. Thus, the Christmas trees will be intact and there will be a scent.

Or use aromatic oils. Their choice is very wide. Or buy citrus fruits - their aroma is also associated with the New Year.

And the argument that a live Christmas tree is better is undeniable! Yes, live is better! But you don’t bring a living Christmas tree into the house, but a dying one. Her CUT DOWN! A live Christmas tree grows in the forest. Actually, you can also have a living Christmas tree if you plant it near your house, take care of it, and decorate it for the New Year.

Possibility of purchasing conifers indoor plants(such as aracuria, cypress). Of course, they will be small in size, but they will be alive.

4. Economic

A dying Christmas tree can cause problems. The needles on her paws dry out and fall off. You will have to clean it almost daily. Artificial Christmas trees do not have such problems.

5. Medical

Families with small children should avoid “live” Christmas trees. Firstly, dried pine needles are very prickly and can injure a child. And secondly, the child may be allergic to conifers. My youngest son had an allergic reaction to pine needle injections. Nothing terrible happened, but we had to worry.

No one denies that an allergic reaction can occur to an artificial Christmas tree. Therefore, parents need to always be on guard.

6. Transportation

Every year, when purchasing a natural Christmas tree (pine), the question arises of how to deliver it home. Well, if you have your own car, then this problem is not a problem. If you don’t have your own car, then there are several options. Hire a taxi (+ to the cost of an already expensive tree), use public transport(you’ll have to listen to your “grateful” fellow travelers) or carry the Christmas tree on foot.

7. Installation difficulties

A natural Christmas tree must additionally be placed in a container with sand (water it) so that it dies more slowly. And it’s good if you manage to pick up a Christmas tree that doesn’t need to be shortened, lengthened, secured….

8. Choice

Choosing an artificial Christmas tree is much easier. She is always curvy, smooth, without bald spots. The same cannot be said about real Christmas trees.

1. When choosing a Christmas tree, you need to not only look at the appearance, but also smell the tree. A high-quality Christmas tree should not have a strong plastic smell.

2. When purchasing, be sure to check the hygiene safety certificate. And don’t be tempted by cheap Chinese Christmas trees, which are massively imported before the New Year.

3. Spruce needles should not break off. With minor mechanical stress, they should restore their previous appearance (restore).

4. Preference should be given to a Christmas tree on a metal stand. It is more stable.

5. Be sure to make sure that the Christmas tree is made of special fire-resistant materials.

And here is a master class on making a Christmas tree with your own hands.