JESSIE GAMBRELL
PRIDE STAFF WRITER

Do you prefer the Christmas tree smell and excitement of picking a live tree each year or the consistency and convenience of an artificial Christmas tree?

People have different opinions on the matter because it’s related to family traditions.

“Its easier to have a fake tree. I grew up with a real tree til [sic] my parents got lazy,” student Adam Dettelbach said.

According to Art Espinoza, “The Christmas Tree Guy,” at Home Depot in Oceanside, artificial trees are fairly easy to assemble, last longer than live Christmas trees and are energy efficient.

Though there are many pros to artificial trees, some people still prefer real ones.

“I like real Christmas trees, if they stay alive. I mean sure fake Christmas trees will save you in the long run, but they take up so much space in storage and you have to assemble them,” student Chandra Charette said.

Artificial Christmas trees do not have the beloved pine smell and tend to be pricey.

It’s also a hassle to assemble and disassemble the artificial tree each year, let alone find a place to store it.

Still, people have their own traditions when it comes to Christmas trees.

According to tree farmer Bill Warren of Mission Pines Christmas Trees in Fallbrook: live Christmas trees are fresh, have that wonderful “Christmas” smell and you get the pleasure of going out and picking your own Christmas tree.

There are a few cons in buying a live tree.

Since it is a tree, it’s flammable, doesn’t live long and makes a mess with pine needles.

No matter how you feel on whether on the matter, it’s up to you.

“Christmas is not Christmas without the real Christmas tree,” student Tara De Gaetano said.