By: Jada Pan, Staff Writer

On the morning of the 25th, the fresh yet warm scent of fir will be the first greeting to let you know it’s Christmas. But imagine when you wake up and smell…nothing. You walk into the living room and see the tree decorated with ornaments and lights. It’s not a real tree. It’s synthetic and made of plastic. Where’s the holiday feeling that exists in a real tree, absent in an imitation? Amidst the growing trend of fake trees for convenience, a real tree remains the symbol of the Christmas spirit by providing a sensory experience, upholding family traditions, supporting local farms as well as being more sustainable, making it the better choice.

Sounds, sights, and scents create the holiday experience. Many of us associate Christmas with old classics playing in the background as the fragrant atmosphere let off by the tree fills the living room. During the holiday season, its warmth and scent feel like home, a place of comfort and rest. Student Jessica Lee (11) shared a heartwarming story on the nostalgic scent that holds so many sentimental feelings.

“One time, I came home, back from a long day of school, and then I went through the garage. I looked up at the stairs, and I saw a trail of the Christmas tree pine leaves. Then, when I went upstairs, I smelled the Christmas tree and it smelled so good. I feel like that played a big part in my Christmas childhood because whenever I smell it, it’s like the smell of my family coming back together.”

For many, choosing a Christmas tree with family is an annual tradition and an unforgettable experience. Parents bundle up their children in winter coats and drive to a tree lot or farm, and the entire family is excited to pick a perfect tree for their home. Visiting a local tree lot is a precious experience of the holidays that is tied to key childhood memories. Mr. Wang, a biology teacher at Mills, has a family tradition of choosing a tree.

“Usually, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we try to go and get a tree together. I think, as in every family, some traditions matter more to some people than others. So it’s really important to my wife. It’s a big tradition in her family, and now she’s passed it on to my kids.”

Of course, buying a real Christmas tree means supporting local farms that are small businesses. Many Christmas tree farms are family-run, as seen in local areas such as Half-Moon Bay. 

Choosing a Christmas tree is an experience shared not only by family but also as a community. 

On the other hand, many argue that choosing a real Christmas tree is environmentally harmful as millions of trees are cut down each year. They opt for fake plastic trees, which can be reused for many years and require little to no maintenance. However, there is no significant environmental impact of real Christmas trees. 

“Unless you’re going out to a national forest and, like, cutting down a natural tree,” said Mr. Wang. “Most of the ones we buy, they’re all farmed. So there’s not really an ecological impact in the sense that it’s just farmland in Half Moon Bay, and they plant there…They do get composted at the end, and the nutrients just go right back.”

While keeping a fake tree for many years may appear more sustainable on the surface, fake trees eventually end up in a landfill and never fully biodegrade, even after centuries underground. 

Fake Christmas trees may appeal to people as a more convenient alternative, but nothing can replace the experience of a real tree as it brings nostalgic scents and family traditions. If your family has never chosen a real Christmas tree before, consider making this the first year and take a trip to a local tree farm. The winter scent and beautiful sight of the tree await you on Christmas day.