I know not everyone is like me and loves to have a real Christmas tree in the house. I'm not saying you're right and I'm not saying I'm right. Yeah, maybe it's a fire hazard, but half of today's fancy technology is a fire hazard. Anyway, I have never not gone out and gotten a real Christmas tree with my family. I doubt this will change when I'm out on my own. I made a list of things that I always love about my Christmas tree and the associating traditions. Agree or disagree, here they are!

1. It isn't Christmas unless I can't breathe through my nose.

Because Christmas trees do not take sensitive sinuses and allergies into account.

2. A fake tree does not make your house smell like Christmas.

You know, that real Christmassy smell?

3. I do not think they have invented the artificial tree that can withstand the number of ornaments my family and I have accumulated.

We have a cute family tradition of each of us buying at least one new ornament per year. The thought process is that we would have enough ornaments to fill our own tree when we move out. Multiply that by four kids over 27 years (so far), plus the multitude of 'baby's first Christmas' and ornaments our grandmother made for us and we have A LOT. I'm surprised we haven't had a tree fall from the weight...cause they all get bunched onto one side.

4. The experience of going shopping for an artificial tree in a store is not the same as hiking through fields and fields of Christmas trees that you will inevitably get lost in.

Or at least it feels that way.

5. I love seeing the look on my mothers face when we put the tree in its designated spot.

After hours (and I mean HOURS) of saying 'that one's too fat' or 'that one's too tall,' we bring home the one she deems to be perfect. We all wait to see if this one will in fact fit the spot perfectly. Most of them don't, but that isn't what this is about.

6. You create family memories with a living tree.

For the most part, and I know I am probably overgeneralizing, artificial trees are stored in their boxes with the decorations still on. I feel like some of my best memories are of picking out the best tree (because we make it a contest to see whose tree mom picks) and then decorating it. It is one of the only things that my father looks forward to about the tree. We all get together in the same room with no electronics and put our ornaments on the tree. My dad will sit there with his 'special' apple cider or coffee and actually relax for a minute.

7. Speaking of decorating... you do not get stabbed in the arms with little needles when decorating an artificial tree.

They DO hold up better, but it isn't the same if you are not being stabbed through your shirt.

8. You do not have to store the tree all year.

As I previously said, most artificial trees are stored in their box already decorated. It seems like it would save time, but then comes the problem of actually storing it. If you have as much stuff in your basement as we do, space eventually becomes an issue. You can just take your living tree (that is no longer living) outside and leave it to decompose.