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I personally do not feel that Christmas is ruined by not having a real tree. Growing up my parents never had a real Christmas tree, and i have always had fake trees myself.
It is lovely to walk into a house during the festive period and smell a live tree, but it is just something I've never been that bothered about for my own home.
This is for two main reasons: laziness being probably the main reason. My parents and now I could not be bothered with the additional cleaning that a real tree involves, with the shedding of needles etc. Then there's the trawling around trying to find a suitable tree.

The environmental impact is the other reason. Not only are too many trees chopped down every year for people to make their houses look festive for at most a month of the year, only generally to be binned after the season is over, but there is the impact of the transporting of the tree to your house, and many trips if you spend a while finding one. There have been initiatives to get trees recycled after the period, which means another trip to the dump, so more fumes from cars to do this, plus the by products of the recycling process. How many people actually replant and reuse their trees? Very few I should imagine. Also, if you have a tree which sheds a lot, there is the additional vacuuming, which will use more electricity, which will have an effect on your carbon footprint which we are being encouraged to try and reduce. An artificial tree can be used for many years, packed away and brought out time and time again.
Cost is also another factor in my personal choice. It is possible to get a decent artificial tree for under 50, which will last for years. I just do not see the point in spending out 20 or more on something for a month at most, which will be used once and binned. Plus the fuel (which only keeps rising) to collect and dispose of said tree.
Safety is another factor I have had to take into consideration. As a mother of a small child, and a pet owner, it concerns me having a real tree that will shed. What if my small son tried to eat some of the needles which had fallen and started to choke, or my pet got a needle stuck in it's paw? I would much rather have an artificial tree and know my family are safe.
I love having an artificial tree as I can get the tree down & decorated as & when i feel like it during December and not when I think I will get the best tree.

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