For me, Christmas a full sensory experience – sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell – from wine and cider mulling on the stove to cookies baking to the smell of fresh pine in a tree or wreath.

Because I do not spend Christmas at Elf House, I typically do not have a real tree. Having a real tree requires your presence to make sure it stays watered to avoid a fire hazard. Also, you need to sweep up fallen needles fairly regularly.

But since I love the smell of pine, I buy a wreath that I can hang on my front door. (As an added bonus, even very nice wreaths are far less expensive than trees. Coming or going, walking the dog or greeting a guest, I breathe in the scent of the season. You could also hang the wreath indoors if you choose, though there would be the pesky needle issue.

Where do you come down on the real versus artificial tree question?