One of the oldest traditions during the holiday season is the Christmas Tree. Starting in the 1830s, Americans started the yearly tradition as a way to celebrate with family. Filling its home with fragrances of fresh pine, families for generations have decorated Douglas Firs, Grand and Noble furs, plus many other varieties of trees.

However, over the last three decades, owning an artificial tree has become more en-vouge than ever! In the following, you will see the pros and cons of both types - which should help you decide what kind of tree to buy for this holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Camden

Buying, owning, and caring for a natural Christmas Tree

In my opinion, one of the best parts of the holiday season is making the trip to the farm to buy the perfect tree. The shape, the branches, the smell, all of the factors that come together to give you the perfect tree is simply exhilarating once you find it. Price of course, is a large factor in this as well. Some of the best-priced trees in Orange County tend to come from Home Depot, Lowes, and local tree lots. Below are some major factors that should be considered when purchasing your tree:

• Height: Make sure you buy the right tree size! Something too tall won't fit, and something too small will make your guests giggle and call you Charlie Brown.

• Fullness: The ideal tree will not have gaps in the branches, nor will it have large gaping holes. If your tree has these, simply turn the tree around and have the area with the gaps be the back end of the tree. Keep the full, beautiful side to the front!

• Responsible Gathering: Do your research into the lot you are buying from! If you're buying from Home Depot or Lowes, typically, these trees are responsibly harvested and do not harm the environment where they came from. If you buy from a smaller, privately owned lot, make sure that they don't hurt the area where they harvested their trees from. A responsibly gathered tree is a guilt-free tree!

• Scent: If you can, make sure your tree smells great, too! There's nothing better than coming home to your Camden apartment home full of the smell of fresh pine!

• Price: Make sure the tree you want fits your budget! If you have champagne taste on a Bud Light budget, make sure you find the tree that fits your needs! WATER YOUR TREE EVERY DAY to keep it healthy throughout the holiday season.

When living at an apartment community (like Camden Martinique), it's always important to know where and when you can dispose of your tree. Make sure to follow up with your management team to find out where and when you can dispose of your tree.

Now that we've discussed why you should get a natural tree, lets take a look at the reasons why you should purchase an artificial tree!

Photo courtesy of Camden

Don't be ashamed of being #TeamFakeTree

The very first artificial tree was produced and sold in 1930. Made by the Addis Brush Company, this tree was made with their brush heads and painted green. This revolutionized the Christmas décor market and brought with it an explosion in artificial tree buying. By the year 2018, over 82% of the trees on display in America were artificial. In under 100 years, the majority of Americans and American businesses will be using artificial trees.

Artificial trees have many advantages over natural trees. Such as:

- They never die, wither, or lose their shape

- No need to water

- Buy it once and save it for years, whereas natural trees die by early January

- You can buy a style of tree normally not available in your region, or possibly after all of the natural trees have been bought

- Easier to decorate

- Your cat cant break it as easily

These are just a few quick points about the advantages of an artificial tree, but do keep in mind that some artificial trees are very expensive or on the flip side, can look a little too fake.

In my opinion, nothing can top the look, feel and smell of a lusciously full Grand Fir. Some others may disagree and love the consistency in having the same artificial tree every year.

Either way you celebrate, make sure you do it responsibly and safely. Happy Holidays, everyone!

For more holiday tips and tricks, check out these ways to decorate your apartment with care!