Real vs Artificial Christmas Trees in Singapore: Which Should You Choose?
Oct
Contents:
Perceived Benefits of Real Christmas Trees
Benefits of Artificial Christmas Trees
- Hyper-Realistic Appearance
- Cost Savings and Investment Value
- Easy Maintenance and Safety
- Made for Singapore’s Climate
- Fire Safety and Allergies
- Convenience of Storage (No Disposal Needed)
Heads up.. The image above is not a real Christmas tree, but a hyper realistic Christmas tree.
Every year, Singapore families face the same question: a real Christmas tree or an artificial one? Both have their fans. Real Christmas trees bring a natural scent into your home, while artificial trees offer convenience and can be reused year after year. Here’s how they compare, so you can choose what suits your home.
Real vs artificial Christmas trees at a glance
| Real tree | Artificial tree | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Natural, and every tree is different | Consistent; hyper-realistic models can be hard to tell apart from a real tree |
| Scent | Natural pine or fir scent | No natural pine or fir scent; you can add fir-scented essential oil |
| Upkeep | Regular watering and sweeping up fallen needles | No watering; clean before use and storage |
| Safety | Can become a fire hazard as it dries out | Follow the product’s fire-safety and lighting instructions |
| After Christmas | Has to be disposed of | Packs away into its box or a storage bag |
| Environment | Biodegradable; can be composted or turned into mulch | Not biodegradable; can be reused for many years |
| Cost over time | Buy a new tree every year | Buy once and reuse |
Let us first share the perceived benefits of Real Christmas trees and how Artificial Christmas Trees can be just as good, if not better. Then we will move on to the benefits of Artificial Christmas Trees.
Perceived Benefits of Real Christmas Trees
Family Tradition
Some would say that the family tradition of getting a real tree every year is irreplaceable by any product. There will always be a market of consumers who would value something that is real and authentic. However in a recent survey, many customers have shared that the family tradition of getting a tree yearly can still be present with the purchase of an artificial Christmas tree. Ultimately, the choice is up to you!
Natural Appearance and Scent
This was more true in the past when artificial Christmas trees were still a poor substitute for the real thing. Real Christmas trees used to be prized for their beautifully natural appearance and scent. These days, it is easy to replicate this experience by getting a hyper-realistic artificial Christmas tree that is identical to its real-life counterpart and adding on the use of Christmas tree scent essential oils.
If you’re still deciding, here’s what an artificial tree does better.
Benefits of Artificial Christmas Trees
Hyper-Realistic Appearance
We have made it our life’s mission to design and construct the most realistic Christmas trees you would have ever seen in your life. The FirTECT technology was developed by Masons Home Decor. This technology mimics everything about the real-life Christmas tree. Much research and development go into ensuring the size, colours, and textures of the entire tree and all of its branches and tips are identical to its real-life counterpart. Customers used to joke with our sales representatives that they have had family members attempting to water the tree!
In contrast, it’s always a gamble buying a real Christmas tree. You never know what flaws there are in the tree you are getting, and every batch of trees differs from each other. A manufactured product is consistent. A real Christmas tree can be challenging to decorate because you might have gaps and holes in certain areas, and some branches could be weaker than others. These are common issues that would throw a spanner into your decorating process. An artificial Christmas tree will be free of this problem – what you see online is literally what you would get.
Cost Savings and Investment Value
Trees manufactured with the FirTECT technology are built to last for many seasons. This means you would only have to pay once, versus having to pay every year for a new Christmas tree.
We have seen past customers sell our trees on reseller sites such as Carousell at almost the same price they purchased their tree for when we were out of stock, so that they could try out a new Christmas tree design for the following year.
Check out how dense our tree is!
Easy Maintenance and Safety
Tiresome Daily Sweeping: One of the biggest complaints about real Christmas trees are the shedding of tips. Being a natural product, this cannot be avoided. Daily sweeping is a must. Branches that break due to the weight of heavier hanging ornaments have to be discarded too.
Artificial trees are extremely easy to maintain. Unlike real trees, they do not require constant care and they can be left alone after you are done with the set up and decorations. Furthermore, the tree set up is only 5 minutes! Say goodbye to dealing with fallen needle tips and sticky sap!
Safety Risk from Decomposing Branches: In the right environment, a real Christmas tree in Singapore can survive for approximately 2 to 4 weeks. Most people set up the trees in late November or early December. This means that the tree may start to decompose and have its branches become weak as early as mid-December, before Christmas. This can be dangerous as it would result in your ornaments falling off along with the broken branches. This may pose a safety risk to bare feet walking, pets who like to chew, and children.
Artificial trees need no watering and can be reused for many seasons with proper care.
Made for Singapore’s Climate
Our warm, humid weather is tough on cut real trees, which can dry out and shed needles, especially without adequate watering. An artificial tree can retain its fullness and colour throughout the festive season with proper care.
Space is the other Singapore challenge. Artificial trees come in a range of heights and widths, and slim Christmas trees suit compact HDB and condo corners.
Fire Safety and Allergies
Fire Safety: As a real Christmas tree dries out, it can become a fire hazard, for example if its lights short-circuit. With any tree, real or artificial, follow the lighting instructions and avoid overloading electrical sockets, as faulty or overloaded lights remain a risk to the whole household.
Allergies: It is not uncommon to find someone who is allergic to the scent of real Christmas trees, especially in an enclosed environment. Real trees can also carry moulds, which may trigger allergies or asthma once the tree is indoors. If someone in your household has allergies, an artificial tree may be the better choice.
Convenience of Storage (No Disposal Needed)
No Disposal Needed: Anything perishable has to be discarded eventually, and a real Christmas tree has to be disposed of after the season. Check disposal arrangements and any collection fees. An artificial tree can simply be packed away and used again next year.
Easy Storage: Our Christmas trees are also extremely easy to store. You can store them by putting them back into their cartons, or by using our Christmas tree storage bag.
Check out this video on how we store our dismantled Christmas tree:
The Environment
A real tree is biodegradable, so it can be composted or turned into mulch after Christmas. An artificial tree is made from plastic and is not biodegradable. It can be used for many years.
The Verdict
Neither choice is wrong. A real tree is the way to go if a natural scent and choosing a fresh tree each year matter most to you. Here’s where to buy real Christmas trees in Singapore.
If you want a tree that can stay full throughout the season, needs no watering and can be used again year after year, an artificial tree is a practical choice for Singapore homes. Our Christmas Tree Buying Guide helps you pick the right size and style, or you can shop Christmas trees. Want to learn more? Visit our blog.