Are Real Or Artificial Christmas Trees More Popular In Minnesota?
When it comes to those festive trees we bring into our homes and decorate each holiday season, do we favor real or artificial trees here in Minnesota?
The debate over whether to have a real or artificial Christmas tree is similar to the debate over whether to have a charcoal or gas grill here in the North Star State. There are passionate Minnesotans who favor BOTH kinds!
When I was a kid growing up over in central Wisconsin, we always had an artificial tree that dad would painstakingly take out of the big box in the basement and assemble every year. This was well before today's artificial trees that really do look like real trees, mind you. Our fake tree was pretty once it was all decorated, but it did look more like it was made from green pipe cleaners instead of a real tree.
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At some point, though, when I was in junior high, I complained enough that Dad went and got us a real tree-- and I've been a real tree fan ever since. My wife and I always get a real tree every year too. And, yes, we even trudged out into the woods and cut down a real tree years ago during our first Christmas after we moved into our house here in the Bold North.
As it turns out, real Christmas trees are more popular throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes this year too. A survey from The Guardian looked at online data tracking tweets and hashtags about putting up or buying either a real or artificial Christmas tree.
According to that survey, Minnesota is one of 32 states where more residents are setting up real Christmas trees than artificial trees. That's also the case in my home state of Wisconsin, as well as North Dakota. Interestingly, artificial trees are more popular this year in Iowa and South Dakota as well as in 16 other states too, including New York and California.
READ MORE: 5 Tips To Keep Your Real Christmas Tree Green Through The Holidays
And whether you prefer a real or artificial tree, they can both look festive, right? And, keep scrolling to check out some of the best Christmas tree and holiday light displays here in Minnesota and Wisconsin too!
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Must-See Walk-Through + Drive-Through Holiday Light Displays In Minnesota + Wisconsin For 2023
Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper