The great Christmas tree debate: real or fake?

Lisa Joyner

December 19, 2024 at 1:00 a.m.·6 min read

Many of us face the same annual festive dilemma: do we buy a real Christmas tree or commit to an artificial one that can be reused each year? To help you decide, we weigh in on the great tree debate, uncovering the cost, environmental impact, and maintenance of each.

The answer to which is more environmentally friendly depends on how many times you reuse your artificial tree, and exactly how you dispose of your real one.

According to the Soil Association, artificial trees should be used for 10 years to offset their large carbon footprint of 40 kg CO2. Meanwhile, Sustainability For All suggests using them for 12 years.

Take a look at the pros and cons of each below:

Real Christmas trees: pros and cons

Benefits of real Christmas trees

Can be repotted in your garden after Christmas (and reused the following year)
Provides habitat for wildlife when they grow
They help fight climate change: one acre of Christmas trees produce enough oxygen for 18 people each day
Buying from a UK Christmas tree farm supports British farmers
They are biodegradable and can be reused in the garden as mulch
They bring the fresh scent of pine inside the home.

Downsides of real Christmas trees

Real trees can be expensive and you need to buy a new one each year
They can carry allergens that make people with allergies wheeze
They need more maintenance than fake trees, such as weekly watering
Short life span: they are disposed of in January.

A real tree generally has a smaller carbon footprint compared to its artificial counterpart. For example, a two-metre real Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of 16kg CO2 if it ends up landfill, however, a two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg.

christmas living room — Photography: Polly Wreford / Styling: Marianne Cotterill / Direction: Sarah Keady

One downside is they take a long time to grow, only to be used for around four weeks. 'Most cut real Christmas trees take a minimum of 10 years to grow to full maturity to only last around four or five weeks before they begin to dry out and shed their needles, taking up to a decade to be ready for use for a very short period before they need to be disposed of,' says David Sumner, sales manager at Christmas Tree World.

Real Christmas trees should also be recycled correctly if you want to do your part for the planet. According to Wrap, the UK generates around 160,000 tonnes of Christmas tree waste each January.

Instead of dumping it in your landfill, you could compost your tree, take it to a tree recycling centre, or donate your tree to an organisation or charity offering a 'treecycling' scheme.

'Responsible disposal of a real tree requires preparation and planning too, to ensure the tree does not end up in landfill,' says David. 'To sustainably dispose of a real tree, you'll need to find a local disposal centre or recycling programme and consider the cumulative emissions associated with collection and disposal each year.'

Consider buying a potted Christmas tree and bringing it inside each year. There are also options to rent Christmas trees from places like the London Christmas Tree Rental or Christmas on the Hill.

Artificial Christmas trees: pros and cons

Benefits of artificial Christmas trees:

Saves you money as it can be reused every year
No messy pine needles: simply unbox, fluff up, and decorate
Better for the environment if you use it for 10 years or longer
Can be more affordable long-term
Lots of options are available, including slim trees and small tabletop trees.

Downsides of artificial Christmas trees:

Artificial Christmas trees can be considered bad for the environment because they are made from non-biodegradable plastics. They are often manufactured overseas and end up in landfills
Fake trees can gather dust and mould if they are not stored correctly
They lack the scent of a real evergreen

Many artificial Christmas trees are made using plastic, however, David says there is an alternative option. 'When considering purchasing an artificial tree you can also opt for an artificial Christmas tree made entirely from recyclable materials to further help reduce its environmental impact,' he explains.

decorated christmas tree in open plan living room — Artificial Christmas trees available at John Lewis John Lewis

'When it is eventually time for it to be replaced, you can choose a brand that partners with charitable foundations to offset the impact from the day you purchase.'

One plus side is that artificial Christmas trees work out cheaper in the long run, especially if you're using them for at least 12 years.

Joshua Houston, a home safety and sustainability expert at GreenMatch, says: 'Artificial Christmas trees can be picked up anywhere ranging from £15 to £200. If we take a cautious estimate and say £60, that divided by the average life expectancy (eight years) would work out to £7.50 per year.

'Real trees can be purchased for around the same price, £15 up to hundreds of pounds depending on size and quality. But the big difference is that a new tree is required each year, along with the cost of delivery or petrol to get it.'

If you decide you no longer want an artificial tree, consider extending its life by gifting it to a charity, hospital, or a local donation point.

Follow House Beautiful on TikTok and Instagram.