What is better, an artificial Christmas tree or a real one? Which tree is better artificial or live? Artificial or natural Christmas tree
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The holiday comes to us! Soon, on all television screens of the country, we will see advertising familiar from childhood, announcing the approach of the New Year. Meanwhile, the capital's stores have already begun to decorate shop windows with festive garlands, snowflakes and Christmas trees. By the way, we will talk about trees further. So which one is better: live or artificial? Let's try to evaluate all the pros and cons.
live tree
If your choice is a live Christmas tree, make sure that all the branches of the tree are elastic, and it is difficult to break them off. This is a sign of the freshness of the wood and a guarantee that the needles will not fall off a few hours after installation. If the branches break off with a dry crack, this tree is old or frostbitten, you should not buy it. A fresh Christmas tree should have needles that are bright green in color and slightly oily to the touch. Lightly shake the tree, if enough needles have fallen off, look for another tree. You can also inspect the trunk for mold and fungi. By the way, the trunk itself in girth must be at least 6 centimeters. If less, the tree is unhealthy.
In order for the tree to stand longer at home and please the eye, it is recommended to hold it on the balcony for several hours, then cut the trunk and peel it from the bark by 10 cm. Then put the tree in a bucket of water with the addition of an aspirin tablet, salt and a spoonful of sugar - this will prolong life green beauty. It is best to install the tree in a bucket of sand, in which you need to add a liter of a special solution (water + glycerin + gelatin + aspirin + 2 tablespoons of sugar). The lower part of the trunk should be closed by at least 20 cm. It is advisable to water the tree in 1-2 days.
pros
. the smell of pine needles creates a festive atmosphere;
. essential oils, which the tree releases into the air, have a bactericidal effect;
. coniferous aroma relieves tension and nervousness;
. relatively inexpensive cost;
. from spruce needles you can make a mask for dry and brittle hair. (To do this, put several branches in a saucepan with water, boil them for an hour. Leave the resulting broth for 20 minutes, then add 1 whipped protein and a few drops of cognac);
. and if you scroll spruce needles through a meat grinder and add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, you get an excellent cold paste - you need to apply a compress on your chest or do inhalations.
Minuses
. it is difficult to choose a really high-quality Christmas tree;
. necessity proper care behind a tree;
. gradually dying, the tree turns yellow and loses its needles;
. can cause allergies;
. a live Christmas tree drives away drowsiness (not an option for families with small children - babies will be difficult to put to bed).
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Faux Christmas tree
If your choice is an artificial Christmas tree, outwardly it should look so that you like it this year and five years from now. Keep this in mind when you see another extravagant model of this season in the store. Do you want to put up such a Christmas tree and decorate it next year, or should you give preference to the classic model?
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An artificial Christmas tree can be, in principle, of any color: from all shades of green, with the effect of snow or frost, red, blue, golden, silver, white, etc. Absolutely different texture, fluffiness and size. Here in the choice of the main taste of the buyer.
It is very important for an artificial Christmas tree to choose the right stand. If you like to decorate the Christmas tree with a lot of toys, then you should choose a tree on a metal support, while plastic has weight restrictions.
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A quality artificial Christmas tree should have soft or hard needles that don't flex when you hold them in your hands. Branches should be flexible and bend easily. Stroke the needles "against the grain", if it quickly returns to its original position, everything is in order.
A Christmas tree with needles made of refractory plastic or polyethylene will be an excellent choice for lovers of electric garlands. Christmas trees with needles made of impregnated paper, of course, look more beautiful, but they will not last long. Information about the material must be indicated on the packaging.
Pros:
. no need to buy every year;
. saving time on the annual search, selection and transportation of the Christmas tree;
. a large selection of different models of Christmas trees;
. the needles do not crumble, which reduces the cleaning time after the holidays;
. forest conservation;
. It does not require special care;
. stay as long as you want;
Minuses:
. it is necessary to allocate a place in the apartment for storing the Christmas tree;
. relatively expensive cost;
. the harmful effects of plastics;
. artificial spruce is not real.
It's hard to imagine without a tree. This is the main attribute of the holiday. And its decoration is a whole tradition, in which, as a rule, the whole family participates. But which is better: artificial or natural Christmas tree? And how to choose a Christmas tree?
Today, there is a huge selection of artificial Christmas trees, which allows you to buy any: imitating spruce or pine, green or white, matte and shiny. The most important advantage of artificial Christmas trees and the argument in their favor is that they preserve and extend the life of living Christmas trees. And this is a significant contribution to the conservation of nature and the ecology of the planet.
In addition, if you choose between an artificial Christmas tree, natural spruce or pine, then the first option is the most beneficial for the family budget. Having forked out well once, you do not need to look for and buy a Christmas tree every year, it is better to do other things in preparation for the holiday.
Of course, if you have nowhere to store an artificial Christmas tree for a year, or you want to enjoy the smell and aroma of natural needles, then the second and third Option suit you better.
Today there is another option - a live spruce planted in a pot. It will last longer and you won't have to throw it away. But, such a tree will not grow in a pot, so over time it will need to be transplanted.
If we replace the natural Christmas tree with an artificial one, the holiday will not suffer from this. When in doubt, tell your family and friends what motivated you to buy an artificial tree. They will understand and support you, because in this way you save the forest from extinction.
There is another option that allows you to save the Christmas tree and make the holiday fabulous, but it is better suited for a family that lives in a private house. Dress up a live spruce or pine tree beautifully growing in the yard. It will delight both you and your neighbors. And on New Year's Eve, you can go outside and dance round dances around it.
How to choose an artificial Christmas tree? What criteria must it meet?
Today, Christmas trees are of various manufacturers and value categories. The following factors influence the price of Christmas trees:
- material of manufacture;
- size;
- the presence of illumination;
- method of installation and assembly;
- the presence of decor.
A high-quality Christmas tree must first of all be safe. Therefore, pay attention that it does not have a sharp unpleasant odor, that its needles do not crumble, that the branches are securely attached to the frame, that the frame is strong and the material is not flammable.
When choosing a Christmas tree, be guided by the size of the room. Don't buy too big a tree. It is not very convenient, beautiful, and not safe.
If there are children in the house, then it is also important that the tree is stable.
In general, if you do not want to collect Christmas tree needles from the floor after, buy an artificial tree. It has a long service life, it will not cause allergies (if it is of high quality and correctly chosen).
Now a few words about natural Christmas trees.
Despite all the advantages of artificial Christmas trees, many people still prefer natural, natural ones. They have a pleasant smell, completely environmentally friendly, beautiful appearance and relatively low cost.
But, if an artificial tree can be bought at any time, then it is better to take a natural Christmas tree closer to the New Year.
Unfortunately, buying and installing natural spruce has its drawbacks:
- short shelf life;
- they are constantly crumbling;
- if the branches and needles of the Christmas tree dry out, they can become a source of ignition;
- if one of the family members is allergic to needles, then the idea of acquiring a natural Christmas tree will have to be abandoned.
When buying natural spruce, pay attention to the following factors:
- size;
- symmetry - the tree should be beautiful and even from all sides;
- freshness;
- whether needles are showered from it.
If you are not averse to putting an artificial Christmas tree in your house, but you like the smell of natural needles, then you can purchase a special aroma oil, scented candles, or decorate your house with sprigs of a live Christmas tree.
New Year without Christmas tree- not a holiday. The traditions of decorating a tree with toys and garlands go back centuries, and it is simply unusual for us to celebrate the New Year without this indispensable attribute.
However, on the eve of the holiday, many people face a difficult question - which spruce to choose, live or artificial? Both options have pros and cons. Now we will try to compare them and put the facts on the shelves.
live tree
Live Christmas tree in the house before the onset New Year fills the whole apartment with the spirit of the holiday. This is not a figure of speech, because spruce smells strongly. And for many, the aroma of natural pine needles is the aroma of the new year. Indeed, real living tree- this is a completely natural thing, a living plant that spreads around itself only useful substances (coniferous phytoncides) and a pleasant characteristic smell.
However, a living plant dies someday, this is the main disadvantage of a natural Christmas tree. Gradually dying, she turns yellow, crumbles, loses needles. Depending on how well you chose the spruce, this process may begin after a few days, or maybe after a few weeks. It is also affected by the conditions of its content in the house. It is best to keep it away from the radiator, in water mixed with a few tablespoons of glycerin. But one way or another, in a month only a dried and crumbling stem will remain from the green beauty.
People who decide to buy live Christmas tree, in addition to a pile of dry needles on the carpet, one should also be wary of allergies. There are people who complain about the sharp reaction of the body to a living spruce: itchy nose, eyes, you want to sneeze. Yes, the volatile substances of the needles are not harmless for everyone! In addition, a living Christmas tree in the house drives away drowsiness, of course, also thanks to “natural chemistry”. Families with small children will especially not like this effect - it will be difficult for kids to put them to sleep.
But do not think that a live Christmas tree has only minuses. Its big plus is that it is inexpensive, and it is he who often becomes decisive. A small live spruce before the new year can be taken for 200-1000 rubles.
pros: absolutely natural, cheap
Minuses: crumbles, dies quickly, can cause allergies, flammable.
Faux Christmas tree
The artificial tree is not real. It's hard to argue with that. Zealous connoisseurs of the right celebration New Year are unlikely to get artificial Christmas tree because "that's not it at all". However, otherwise such a Christmas tree is very good, because it is devoid of all the disadvantages of its "natural" sister. Artificial Christmas tree does not crumble, it is durable and will live for many years. In addition, modern "non-living" Christmas trees are made completely non-combustible and chemically safe.
However, all this can only be said about the quality artificial Christmas trees. Therefore, when choosing a Christmas tree in a store, do not chase cheapness - there is a great danger of getting a low-quality thing that is made using harmful substances, and besides, it will quickly break.
The most convenient and durable artificial spruce on a wire frame. The branches of such a tree can be bent and positioned as desired, and, in addition, they are rigidly attached to the trunk, which reduces the chance of breakage.
The pluses include a large selection of appearance. Modern artificial Christmas trees often look even more beautiful than real ones. However, you will have to pay a lot of money for beauty. An average-sized high-quality spruce will cost you 2500-3500 thousand rubles.
pros: durable, does not crumble, always beautiful
Minuses: must lie somewhere for a year, it is expensive, not all models are safe.
A fluffy, fragrant, but so short-lived live Christmas tree or a compact, durable and practical artificial one? To make your choice, you need to consider all the pros and cons of both options.
natural spruce
All days new year holidays You will be delighted with the incomparable aroma of a real Christmas tree.
Another obvious plus of the evergreen beauty is its appearance - it is this that manufacturers of artificial Christmas trees are trying to imitate.
It is not necessary to assemble a live Christmas tree, the only problem is installation, but it is easy to solve - now many sellers offer Christmas tree stands or even Christmas trees in pots. It is not necessary to store such a spruce after the holidays, this will save space in the house.
Christmas trees release essential oils into the air that have a bactericidal effect, some types of pine are even capable of killing tubercle bacillus. In addition, the coniferous smell has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, relieves tension and nervousness. In general, the essential oils of coniferous trees have long been widely used for the prevention of respiratory diseases and disinfection. And, of course, for many of us, the smell of a living Christmas tree is the smell of childhood.
Spruce needles can come in handy after the New Year holidays. So, useful mask, which relieves hair of dryness and brittleness, can be prepared by putting a few spruce branches in a pot of water, "boiling" them for 1 hour. The resulting broth must be infused for 20 minutes, and then add 1 whipped protein and a few drops of cognac.
And by scrolling the spruce needles (previously separated from the branches) through a meat grinder and adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the resulting mass, you will get an excellent cold paste - the compress can be applied to the chest or inhaled. In the end, an exclusive ecological mattress can be made from crumbled needles.
There are also disadvantages. As you know, or pine is not easy enough, given the pre-New Year's hype and the dishonesty of sellers-suppliers.
It should be borne in mind that brittle branches indicate an old tree, and if there is a black border several centimeters wide on the cut of the trunk, then the tree will not last long. The color of the Christmas tree should be saturated, and if you rub a few needles between your fingers, then an oily trace and a pleasant coniferous smell should remain on the skin. Prices at Christmas tree markets last year ranged from 900 to 1500 rubles per meter, depending on the area where the forest beauty was brought from.
A live Christmas tree requires attention and special care, which not everyone is ready for. To save a tree, you need to be patient. For example, to prepare a solution for a Christmas tree, you need to dissolve an aspirin tablet, a pinch of salt and a spoonful of sugar in water. Aspirin prevents the development of bacteria, and salt and sugar are needed for nutrition. Then you should mix this solution with clean sand and set the Christmas tree so that the tree trunk is submerged by 15-20 centimeters. In addition, it is recommended to spray spruce with fresh water from time to time.
artificial spruce
The main advantage of an artificial Christmas tree is that it can be used repeatedly, this not only saves the budget, but also the time that you have to spend on choosing a natural tree.
In addition, one of the advantages of artificial wood is the absence of needles on the floor. The Christmas tree will not crumble, which means that the time for cleaning after the New Year holidays will be reduced.
You are helping to reduce the damage caused to nature by illegal logging of young coniferous trees. The growth rate of evergreens is very low - about 10-20 cm per year, so the planting of new plants does not keep pace with large-scale clearings.
But still, an artificial Christmas tree, even if it is produced in accordance with the highest quality standards, is made of plastic using other chemical compounds that are often not written on the label. It is known that polyvinyl chloride (PVC), from which artificial spruces are most often made, is created from oil resources and is burdened with harmful lead compounds. Moreover, for all its positive qualities, polyvinyl chloride is the most dangerous of all types of plastics, scientists argue that when heated, an analogue of the military poison gas, phosgene, is released from PVC.
Probably no one imagines Christmas without a Christmas tree. Few people know that the most famous symbol of Christmas came to us from the West, and specifically from the Catholic German countries. Decorating the Christmas tree has become a permanent tradition since the 20th century. Currently, already in November, our environment is changing beyond recognition. Colored, very colorful trees appear almost everywhere. Shop windows, galleries, squares are drowning in a stream of colorful and varied Christmas, New Year and other holiday decorations. These decorations give us a real sense of the magic of these exceptional Holidays, although they should not obscure what is most important in these holidays. Depending on our preferences, we can choose the most suitable Christmas tree for us. It can be artificial or real. Her choice is an individual matter for everyone.
artificial Christmas trees, have both many supporters and many opponents. It's no secret that artificial wood is not environmentally friendly, it is not recyclable, because it consists of a metal frame covered with a plastic material that mimics needles. Because of this, artificial Christmas trees that end up in landfills will spend hundreds of years there before they begin to decompose. Another disadvantage of these trees is the lack of coniferous smell and fading.
Despite significant disadvantages, they have many advantages:
- do not sprinkle;
- one-time expense, for many years;
- very beautiful and decorative look;
- do not require care;
- they can be kept near the radiator;
- a rich and very diverse assortment, in terms of: prices, colors, sizes, shapes;
- easy to store.
live tree at Christmas, this is by far the most popular solution, especially at a time when environmental attitudes and thinking are spreading so much. It is not true that cutting down trees can threaten our forests. It should be understood that the vast majority of commercially available live holiday trees come from managed forest plantations that annually clear unwanted conifer stands. The seedlings are also supplied from cutting down trees planted under power lines, so these trees will be cut down anyway.
The undoubted advantage of living trees is their aroma - the aroma, without which many of us cannot imagine these magical holidays. The natural shape of the crown emphasizes the individuality of each tree and its uniqueness. The disadvantages include, first of all, a short service life, falling needles, the need to install away from heaters and stoves. The cost of trees varies and is often quite high, so if you buy a live tree every year, it will add up to a significant amount over the course of several years. In the case of live Christmas trees grown in pots, the problem of annual costs becomes irrelevant. However, not everyone has the conditions for growing a holiday tree in a container. During the growing season, it feels best when planted in the ground, and not everyone has such opportunities.
In our country, the most popular spruce is Picea abies, commonly found in the surrounding landscape. Other conifers chosen for the Christmas tree are pines, white fir Abies alba. More and more often we can find other types of spruce for sale, such as blue spruce Picea punges, Serbian spruce Picea omorica and firs such as noble fir Abies procera and Nordmann fir Abies nordmanniana.
If you buy spruce as a cut tree, place it in a cooler place, away from heaters or stoves. Direct heat will cause the needles to shed quickly. To prolong the life of the tree, you can place it in a container with wet sand. Of course, this decision will prolong her life by about two times. In the case of trees bought in a pot, they should be watered and kept away from direct contact with a heat source.
Christmas tree in a pot, after the holidays, you need to leave to spend the winter in a cool room, and then land, for example, in the garden. If you take the Christmas tree out of the room immediately after the holidays, the plant will receive a heat shock, which can lead to its death. It is better to leave it for the winter in a cool but bright room. In the absence of such an opportunity, you can take the Christmas tree to the balcony or terrace, wrapping the pot, not forgetting to water it regularly.
When purchasing a tree in a container, check the quality of the roots. They must be rooted. It often happens that trees are hurriedly pulled from the plantation illegally before being sold, planted in pots and sold. Often the quality of excavation is poor. As a result of this hasty excavation a large number of the roots are cut down and, as a result of the disproportion between the underground and aboveground parts of the plant, it soon dries up.
The Christmas tree, alive or not, is the symbol of Christmas. Each person must approach this problem individually and choose the most appropriate solution. Whether we choose an artificial tree, cut or in a container, the most important thing is the festive atmosphere, and the tree is just an addition.
