I have a confession to make. I have an artificial tree, a fake, an out-of-a-box special. The environmentally responsible thing is to have a fresh cut tree or, better yet, a live tree. Neither of those two options is available to me. I am allergic to mold, and my allergist has advised me against having a real tree or real evergreen wreath in my home. Also, I don't know what I'd do with a live tree after Christmas. It's not like I have a back 40 acres to plunk it into. So, I'm stuck with a fake tree. At least the kids can put it up by themselves.