With nearly one in four UK households displaying a Christmas tree each year, research conducted by the Ideal Home Show has settled the debate of whether Britain prefers real or artificial Christmas trees. With 64% of people in favour of the real tree and 36% opting for artificial.
Comments from respondents indicated that although a real tree is preferable, many people go faux due to lower costs and practicality.
The top reason for buying the real thing is the pine-tree aroma and appearance. Reasons against include allergies, size and shape, needle drop, cost, durability, the risk of pet damage and a reluctance to fell a tree for a few weeks decoration.
Contrary to popular belief, The Carbon Trust maintains that real trees have a much lower carbon footprint than faux. A two-metre artificial tree has a carbon footprint more than twice that of a real tree that ends its life in landfill, and more than ten times that of real trees that are burnt.
Christmas by numbers
£1.6 billion – The total spent by the UK at Christmas
60 million – The number of Christmas trees grown each year in Europe
8 million – The number of natural Christmas trees consumed by the UK each year
15 – The average age of a Christmas tree when it is sold
3:1 – The ratio by which natural Christmas trees outsell artificial Christmas trees
Here are 25 more fun festive facts such as this: 822 – the number of houses Santa would need to visit every second if he were to make all his deliveries.
