A natural Christmas tree in the house is a tribute to tradition and a bright memory of childhood. After all, for most of us, it was the felled spruce or pine tree that was an indispensable attribute of the New Year.
The incomparable smell of natural pine needles gives not only a pleasant aroma, but also has a bactericidal effect with its essential oils. Phytoncides have a positive effect on the nervous system and disease resistance.
Disadvantages:

Annual cash expenses. The price of a live small Christmas tree in Kyiv on the eve of the holiday starts from 500-600 UAH.
Damage to nature. Coniferous plants grow very slowly, 10-20 cm per year, and it takes a very long time to renew felled trees. By purchasing an artificial Christmas tree, you will save the life of several living trees. After all, the issue of acquiring the main attribute of the New Year will disappear for the next few years.
Encouraging illegal logging. When buying a live Christmas tree, pay attention to the presence of an identification chip with an individual number. By entering it into the online database of the website of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, you can make sure that the Christmas tree was legally cut down and grew in an ecologically clean area. By the way, illegal cutting down of a Christmas tree threatens administrative liability and monetary punishment - compensation for material damage (from 499 to 2255 UAH depending on the diameter of the tree) and two fines (for violating the legislation on the natural reserve fund - from 279 to 1852 UAH and for illegal felling of coniferous trees - from 510 to 1020 UAH). For a tree cut down in a populated area you will have to pay at least 2160 UAH, outside the city – 1287 UAH.
After the holiday, the landfill of discarded Christmas trees produces a lot of carbon dioxide, so in order to save the environment, it is very advisable to recycle the tree. We wrote about collection points for recycling Christmas trees in a separate review.
If you definitely want a living tree, there is an alternative - a green beauty in a pot. Only after the holidays be sure to plant it in the ground if it is not for decorative purposes.

What are the advantages of artificial spruce
The main advantage of an artificial spruce or pine is the durability of such an acquisition and home decoration for the New Year. You can install a Christmas tree made of artificial materials year after year for many years.
Unlike the living green beauty, the needles of the plastic spruce do not fall off or turn yellow. Finding a high-quality natural Christmas tree is not so easy, and if you buy a stale one, you risk getting a mountain of fallen needles.
By purchasing a plastic Christmas tree, you will make a small contribution to the preservation of the ecosystem. Unless, of course, you properly dispose of the artificial tree in the future, when it gets pretty tattered and loses its appearance.
Prices for artificial Christmas trees depend on the material, manufacturing technology and build quality. In Kyiv you can buy the simplest, small artificial Christmas tree from 400 UAH, but a cast one will cost more - 2-3 thousand hryvnia and more.

Prices for artificial Christmas trees depend on the material, manufacturing technology and build quality. In Kyiv you can buy the simplest, small artificial Christmas tree from 400 UAH, but a cast one will cost more - 2-3 thousand hryvnia and more.

How to choose a good, high-quality and safe artificial Christmas tree
How good a Christmas tree is can be determined by several key parameters

Require a quality certificate
If a live Christmas tree can only disappoint with prematurely dried and crumbling needles, then an artificial tree made of low-quality material can harm your health. Most plastic trees are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a synthetic material made from petroleum products. PVC contains toxic substances, including lead compounds. Cheap, uncertified products can be dangerous and cause allergies and other diseases. Especially if, in addition to the Christmas tree, your home has other products made from low-quality PVC (furniture, windows, flooring, etc.).

When buying an artificial New Year's beauty, be sure to ask the seller for a quality certificate for the product.

Now you know how to choose the right quality artificial Christmas tree. Which ones do you prefer: live ones for one holiday or durable “natural” ones?