I’m not an all-out decorator for the holidays, but I do like a few simple touches. A small tree, one my cats can topple without causing major damage, is ideal. While I love the smell and look of a live Christmas tree, a fake tree for the holidays is so much more practical for our lifestyle.

The Joy of a Fake Tree for the Holidays

I remember as a kid getting a real tree. We went to a local lot selling trees to fundraise for a school. We always selected the most perfectly formed Scotch pine. The smell of the tree really highlighted the season, but I also remember my parents dealing with the mess.

As a gardener and outdoor lover, I do feel a little like a cheat going with a fake Christmas tree. However, the practicality is hard to beat. There are no needles to clean up, no fire risk, and no water to keep clean at the base. And, with cats, I feel better knowing they will not make themselves sick nibbling on needles.

Lifelike Artificial Trees – It’s All in the Decoration

The key to making artificial trees just as festive as a real one is to decorate it just like you would a real one. You won’t even notice the difference. I like to use multicolored lights, which I find more interesting than white lights.

For ornaments, I don’t follow a color scheme or theme. I like to decorate the way my family did when I was a kid: a hodge podge of homemade and keepsake ornaments. We had our crafty ornaments made in school as well as all the decorations my mom’s kindergarten students gifted her over the years.

The overall effect might seem messy to some, but to me a Christmas tree is full of memories, not perfection. I use ornaments left over from my childhood tree and crafts made from my nieces, and it is perfect for me.

If we did get a live Christmas tree, I know what I would do with it after the holidays. Zoos use donated trees as enrichment for their animals. Big cats like to wrestle with the trees, apes forage for snacks in them, and smaller animals explore the trees and use them for shelter. If you have a real tree this year, consider donating it in January.