The Christmas tree is a centuries-old tradition that brings such joy during the holiday season, as family and friends gather around. This first week of December, most people who celebrate the season with a Christmas tree will be thinking about getting their tree purchased or out of storage, and decorated with baubles and twinkly lights.
But the question is, do you go for the real tree, with that fresh pine smell (and the dropping needles)? Or do you opt for an artificial tree, which offers great convenience – at a cost of authenticity?
What’s more have you ever wondered where your Christmas tree came from? Ever speculated how many are sold each year in Canada or shipped abroad?
We decided it was time to get the facts about our love of the Christmas tree tradition – and offer advice about which to choose.
The Canadian Christmas Tree Tradition: Fun Facts
- Quebecers were the first to be introduced to the Christmas tree back in 1781 in Sorel, Quebec. It seems German-born Baron Friederick von Riedesel cut a balsam fir and festooned it with white candles – a risk not to be attempted today!
- There are more than 450 Christmas tree growers in British Columbia.
- It's estimated that two million Christmas trees are sold across Canada every year.
- Canada harvests 2.25 million trees annually. Of those, B.C. produces 900,000.
- In 2011, Canada exported a whopping $28.2 million worth of Christmas trees – most of which headed to the United States ($25.8 million worth, or nearly 1.6 million out of a total of 1.7 million trees).
- Canada also sells fresh-cut trees in Antigua, Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, France, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
Real Trees: Pros and Cons
There’s nothing quite like that fresh pine smell that you get from a real Christmas tree, and the ritual of picking out that year’s tree is an important one for many families too. Plus of course it looks and feels a lot more authentic than an artificial tree.
However, it does have some downsides – the fact that it is a dead tree dropping needles on your living room carpet, and ultimately needing to be recycled after the festivities are over, being the two key inconveniences. (See our upcoming article on how and where to recycle your trees in the Lower Mainland.)
Live trees that still have their roots (as opposed to cut trees) can solve these problems, but they require potting, watering frequently and planting out again after the season is over, so they are too much hard work for most people. “Live trees have substantially dropped in sales because they are awkward to get into people’s homes and they are very labour intensive,” says Loewen.
So which are the most popular trees being bought in BC?
“Today, the Scandinavian Nordmann fir is gaining popularity because it’s very hardy,” says Arthur Loewen, president of the CCTGA (Canadian Christmas Tree Growers' Association) and treasurer of the BC Christmas Tree Council.
“However, the Douglas fir continues to be the best seller and the least expensive. The Fraser fir is hardier and can go a month without water, while holding its needles really well.”
Key facts
- The Douglas fir and the Fraser fir are BC's best sellers.
- It takes six to 15 years for a tree to mature and bring to market.
- For every tree harvested, two to three seedlings are planted in its place – no need to worry about deforestation.
- Out of 2,000 trees sold in BC, just 20 will be live trees with roots (a few years ago it was 75 of 2,000 sold).
Artificial Trees: Pros and Cons
There’s no doubt that artificial trees are an affordable and convenient option – you don’t have to shell out cash for a tree every year, and you can just pack it away when you’re done until Christmas comes round once more.
But you also might decide on an artificial tree because you believe it is more environmentally friendly than cutting down a real tree. No necessarily so, says Loewen.
“Environmentally, real trees are more eco-friendly because they end up being recycled into mulch or firewood,” Loewen says. “Remember that an artificial tree is likely to end up in the landfill … not good for the environment.” They also have a higher carbon footprint as most are made in Asia and imported.
If you live in a strata building, they might insist on artificial trees because of the perceived fire hazard of real trees – another myth, says Loewen. “Tests have shown that an artificial tree will cause a fire to burn faster than a real tree.”
Key facts
- Most artificial Christmas trees are produced abroad – in China, Taiwan and South Korea – and imported.
- On average, an artificial tree lasts between seven and 10 years.
Source: The Canadian Christmas Tree Growers' Association and the Recycling Council of B.C.
