Some persons prefer the scent of natural Christmas trees. - File

Love it or hate it, the Christmas tree is among the many symbols of the season and persons in many homes and offices across the globe are setting them up as we speak.

Nature lovers cringe when trees are cut down for a few days of merriment while others exhume dusty artificial ones and lug them into the living room year after year.

For Leighton Josephs, there is nothing like waking up to the fresh, earthy scent of pine on Christmas morning.

"It's just a really great scent," he said

Going green

He is a firm believer in going green and believes real trees are more attractive than their artificial counterparts. Josephs conceded, though, that it takes a lot of work in the setting up and maintenance of the genuine article.

"You have to water it, but just a little, to keep it looking fresh, which means you also have to think of (keeping it in) a pot."

The size and weight of real trees make them cumbersome and the dismantling phase can be an exercise of pure agony as needles shed rapidly.

Many pine and fir trees are specifically grown for the Christmas market and take roughly three years to mature. When it's time to throw them out, they may be shredded and used as mulch.

With all the work involved in maintaining a real tree, Jason Palmer, a realtor, said he has decided to go "fake all the way".

"It's easy to clean up, no shedding, no mess. After a few days, the real ones lose their colour as well," Palmer told Saturday Life.

Easy set-up

Artificial Christmas trees such as this one at MegaMart in St Andrew woo some buyers because of their low maintenance. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

He likes the fact that he can keep his tree for several years, rather than having to buy one every Christmas. Its lighter weight and relatively easy set-up make the process less of a chore, Palmer added.

"Some people like the smell of the real trees. But there's no smell with the artificial ones, which is a plus for me because it really affects my sinuses," he said.

Whether you decide to go eco or pull out last year's tree from the storeroom, have fun decorating your tree this Christmas.

monique.murray@gleanerjm.com