Fresh-cut pines still in fashion for season

With the holiday season already upon us, holiday music is playing on the radio and the National, Capitol and White House Christmas trees are all aglow. As you walk home from work in the evening or drive into your neighborhood, neighbors and strangers alike are gathering to deck their own halls and bring a bit of sparkle to their front lawns and windows.  

A Fraser Fir or a Blue Spruce decked out in lights and ornaments has been the traditional centerpiece to many an American Christmas since the 1840s. There’s no doubt that even the ubiquitous trees will surely bring a smile to even the Scroogeist characters among us

But just what kind of trees are people trimming in their windows this year?

After all choosing a Christmas tree is a very personal experience and the smell of freshly cut pine evokes many happy family memories from holidays of old.

Still, although real trees have traditionally symbolized American Christmases, many people are moving away from the fresh-cut pines, choosing instead to buy artificial ones in an attempt to free themselves from the high maintenance that goes with real trees.

The American Christmas Tree Association says that in 2011, about 21.6 million real trees and 12.9 million artificial trees were purchased by American households. It also found that the average cost of a real tree was $46 and the average cost of an artificial tree was $78. On retail average, The Hill found that a Target 7-foot Pre-Lit Fraser Fir Tree is $120, and a Frager’s 8- to 9-foot Real Fraser Fir Tree retails for $105. 

According to a Wal-Mart representative Debbie Wishon, 60 percent of the current market purchases artificial trees. 

“Our artificial trees have steadily increased over the past five years. Indicating a continuing shift from fresh cut trees to artificial,” said Wishon. 

When asked for a reason behind this trend the Wal-Mart spokesperson said that the chain’s costumers like artificial trees because “they last longer, are easier to take care of, and are better for the environment.”

But the Sierra Club disagrees with Walmart’s last point that artificial is better for the environment.

The environmental group argues that real trees are more environmentally friendly because they are farmed on marginal land and do not require manufacturing processes, which use nonrenewable resources. 

According to Bob Schildgen, the author of “Hey Mr. Green” a popular environmental advice column for Sierra magazine, “A real tree is a renewable resource, whereas a fake tree is usually made from plastic, which is derived from oil, a nonrenewable resource. The real tree can be recycled as mulch, compost, or wildlife shelter, whereas the fake tree can’t. The real tree does not contain harmful chemicals, whereas fake trees are often made with plastic polyvinyl chloride, whose manufacture releases highly toxic material.” 

Not ones to shirk a good debate we decided to take the pulse of members of Congress on the House Natural Resources Committee on this all-important issue and see if the trend towards artificial trees held up in the corridors of power. 

While we freely admit the poll is not scientific, our findings suggest that Democrats are more likely to have real trees while Republicans often opt for the artificial versions.

Twelve of the 48 members responded to our request — equally divided between the two parties. Of the six Democrats, four told us that their living rooms sport real trees while the same number of Republicans said that they prefer to decorate artificial versions. 

As a supporter of artificial Christmas trees, Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said he and his family “enjoy no longer fighting to get the tree to stand straight and not having to vacuum dry flammable pine needles.” 

But Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) is a traditionalist on this issue, boasting happily of his family’s annual tree-harvesting tradition. 

“I cut my own, sometimes from my backyard, sometimes from a nursery,” said Holt

Ultimately, regardless of a tree’s heritage, the Christmas tree brightens up the holiday and reminds us of a long cultural tradition. But for those who can’t get enough of the Christmas tree debate, just wait! According to Wal-Mart, scented PVC trees are soon to come.

Then there’s the whole debate about just when you should put up the Christmas tree — right after Thanksgiving or should you wait until December? Well that’s a discussion for another time. Let’s not go there this year.