We finally bit the bullet and got an artificial about two years ago. I don't like it, but the plusses are;
1) Buy once. Natural trees are getting stupidly overpriced.
2) Doesn't have you still vacuuming up needles in March.
3) Really doesn't look too different, although the asymmetry is part of the magic of a natural tree. Figuring out which side to face toward the wall was always a spirited debate. OTOH, now we can put it in the middle of the room and trip over the wires.
4) No need to go tree shopping. Which was a big plus when I had to go with my mom. She was quite particular. Besides that it meant bringing the truck home from the shop etc. Just inconvenient. But now when it's time to do the tree, we just drag it out of the basement.
The down side:
1) It's fake. No matter how good a job they do, it's fake.
2) Storing it. 11 months of having that giant thing taking up space for the one month it's actually being used.
3) Doesn't smell like anything really. Although, not smelling like squirrel piss isn't really a minus. When we first got it I had the bright idea of hanging one of those pine tree air fresheners as an ornament so we'd have that pine smell. Instead it stunk like a detergent tree. Don't go the smelly tree hangy thing route. Now I just cut some pieces of Juniper or some other evergreen and leave it in the house for that Christmas smell.
So, it's somewhat of a net zero, but I must admit, all things being equal, I think I'd still prefer a real one.
but I always preferred them because there was room for the ornaments and tinsel to hang properly. However, more recently they've become pricey and I feel the quality has declined. They really don't seem to have the pine smell. I don't even think they're using real squirrel piss anymore.
