Artificial Christmas Trees | Fatal Conveniences™

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Setting up and decorating your Christmas tree every year is a lot of work. So opting for artificial trees instead is a time saver. Not to mention, a fake tree can end up saving you quite a bit of money if you use it year after year. But, are artificial Christmas trees safe to have in your home?

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Between 75-80% of Americans own artificial Christmas trees.

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the brightly decorated, beautiful Christmas trees you see everywhere. No matter how old you get, seeing a festive Christmas tree brings out the kid in you. So, I’m not going to knock putting up a tree in your home at all. In fact, you guys may be a bit surprised by my stance on Christmas trees. 

I won’t beat around the bush, or tree, on this one. Artificial Christmas trees are not safe for your home. The majority of fake trees you purchase in the store are made from PVC, polyvinyl chloride. And if that’s not bad enough, the PVC used for fake trees is treated with tons of phthalates to get that real pine needle look and feel. Phthalates are TERRIBLE for you. They are one of the most dangerous known endocrine-disrupting chemicals. So dangerous in fact, that they’re banned from most children’s products like sippy cups and toys. These toxic chemicals found in the majority of artificial trees will off-gas in your home throughout the holiday season. Not exactly the Christmas cheer you were looking for, huh?

But the alternative to buying a fake tree is cutting down a real one. That can’t be good, can it?? Well actually, sustainable Christmas tree farms are great for the environment. In fact, one acre of Christmas pine trees supplies enough oxygen for 18 people!  And when you put a real living pine tree in your home, you get the added bonus of natural essential oils being spread through the air instead of toxic chemicals. And don’t worry, when cut leaving some branches present, a pine stump can regrow up to 4 trees before being removed. So throw away that fake tree and opt for a real one instead this holiday season. Your body, and your nose, will thank you.