There was a time in my life when every year, I’d go to some big box store, and buy new Christmas decorations with no abandon (well, some abandon, because ya girl has always been on a budget). The storage bins in my garage are proof that I’d buy some cheap, crappy-looking wreaths and tinsel garlands and plastic ornaments just to check some box and get my place feeling festive, but I’d inevitably go and buy other things I liked better the next year.
I realize now how wildly wasteful and irresponsible that was. I would blame social media for my consumerist needs, but honestly, I remember growing up seeing family friends (and sometimes even my own mother) change their holiday decorative “theme” yearly. That required all new decorations every year, and I’m sorry…WHAT?!? And while this yearly Christmas decoration refresh has been going on for some people for a long time, social media, as it does, hasn’t made it any better. It’s some people’s job to do this very thing, I’m well aware (I’m saying for fact, not as a “bite the hand that feeds you” scenario). For example, I remember a few years ago when the sparse Noble Fir Christmas tree became all the rage, and everyone on my feeds was suddenly kicking their existing artificial tree to the literal curb and re-upping to a more “on-trend” tree style. The new trees were beautiful, but certainly not necessary.
And while I may sound like I’m shaming, I promise I’m not. It’s so easy to get caught up in all of that; after all, I have, as well. There are big emotions around Christmas for those who celebrate, and pouring ourselves into having our homes reflect our love of this time of year is such a big part of that “magical” feeling we’re all chasing. But the older I get, the more I realize there are other ways that are just as aesthetically pleasing without all the waste. So I culled the internet, including some of my favorite blogger pals’ feeds, to come up with some ideas to share today for more sustainable Christmas decor ideas. Some are a little farfetched (like renting a live tree, for instance), but others are charming avenues to tag onto your list of traditions (think making salt dough ornaments!). Let’s explore what I found.
Rent A Live Christmas Tree? Yeah…Really
I’m going to start with the most crunchy-granola sustainable Christmas tree option, because I know it’s not totally feasible for most, but might be for some. According to data from Nielsen Research (via the American Christmas Tree Associate—yes, there is such a thing), approximately 21.6 million real trees and 12.9 million artificial trees will be purchased by U.S. households this Christmas season. That’s staggering. I’ll go into what I dug up about the environmental impact of a cut tree vs. an artificial one in the next section (it may not be what you think), but if you’re one of those 21.6 million real tree buyers, there’s a somewhat new option for you.
Enter: The rented live Christmas tree. The concept on a large scale is relatively new, but here’s the idea: You rent a tree from a farm that delivers a potted evergreen to your door, you use it for a month or so, take off all your decorations, and that same farm picks it right back up. It gets replanted and keeps on living its life, possibly rented the following year until it gets too large to feasibly work in someone’s living room.
This is by far one of the most sustainable concepts because the tree comes from a local farm, doesn’t have to travel across the country to get to you, and nothing is cut down.
Here’s the downside: Its availability is super limited (I only found two websites offering this service and one is in Southern California and the other is in the Bay Area). Not to mention, it’s expensive. Typically, I’ll get a 6-7 foot Noble fir or the like from Lowe’s or even a neighborhood tree lot for anywhere from $60-$100. A tree of similar size at The Living Christmas Company or Rentxmastree.com starts at $175 all the way up to $300+. That’s…a lot of money and certainly a luxury to be able to do. If you’re up for the cost, be sure to hop on placing your rental order ASAP as some of the trees are already sold out.
Even If You’re Not Renting, Go Real Instead Of Artificial
I’ve gotta be honest: I’ve always been a live tree snob. My parents often wanted the ease of an artificial tree but I was that kid who would have a fit every year saying a fake tree would ruin my “vibes.” I love the process of going to buy the tree, the small, even the ritual of regularly watering it. I love running my hands along the branches and feeling the flexible yet prickly needles. Yes, I detest those same needles lodged into my rug for years to come. I’m fairly certain my trunk has tree needles from like 7 years ago still lurking. But the struggle is worth it to me.
I’ll leave the caveat here that I realize a real tree doesn’t work for everyone. Real trees harbor mold, pesticides, and allergens that is a no-go for some homes. Also, if you live in say, a fourth-floor walk-up apartment, lugging a large and heavy tree up is a joke. According to The Nature Conservatory and Canopy.org, an artificial tree would need to be used for roughly 20 years to match the environmental impact of a real tree. This is partly because 90% of artificial trees are shipped from China, but also because they are made of PVC and will not decompose in the landfill they end up in eventually.
Real trees, on the other hand, are cut down, yes, but while they are a growing contribution to reforesting, here’s what The Nature Conservatory has to say:
“When these natural trees are harvested for sale, there are more 10 ten times as many left standing! Out of the 350-500 million growing on tree farms across the U.S., only 30 million trees are harvested for Christmas each year. Buying real trees will help keep tree farms in business—and in turn, keep their lands covered in the healthy forest habitat that wildlife depends on to survive. And what’s more, once all the festivities are done, these trees can be recycled and given a second life. Most states have organizations that use these donated Christmas trees for conservation and habitat projects in their local communities. Meanwhile, artificial trees are usually not recyclable and often end up filling our landfills.”
No choice is perfect, and there are creative out-of-the-box ideas, too like making a “tree” out of lights, cardboard, and even felt, though none of those personally appeal to me. It’s a real tree or nothing in my house, for better or for worse.
Organic Trees Exist, Too!
My last note on the Christmas tree for those who have read about all the pesticides used on them: you can source an organic tree. Tree farms going the organic route are limited right now, though not as sparse as the rental tree option. And just like those organic strawberries, a pesticide-free tree is going to have an up-charge. Check out this great resource list I found of organic tree farms by state.
Oh! And everything I wrote about artificial trees vs. real trees applies to garland, as well.
Skip The Plastic Decorations And Go For Food-Based & Natural Ornaments
I grew up with glass globe ornaments (and a healthy dose of tinsel). I think glass is still fine, but for anyone with kids or pets, there are other shatterproof options that aren’t plastic. A lot of the ideas I’m sharing below are actually food-based, so not only can you just scoop things up on your next grocery run, but they can also easily be composted or disposed of at the end of the season. Not to mention, they lend a decidedly classic Scandinavian or English country “wood nymph” kind of vibe which is not only very of the moment, but also endlessly beautiful.
Idea #1: Oranges
I’ve been making dried orange ornaments for a few years now and it’s become such a nice tradition and ritual. The house smells AMAZING while they’re frying in the oven (it takes hours), and they look so beautiful anywhere I put them. At first, I was afraid of critters but I haven’t had any issues at all. I don’t really reference a tutorial anymore, but for first-timers, Erin Francois of Francois et Moi–who will have a few appearances below because she is the queen of natural Christmas decor—has a good step-by-step.
Idea #2: Pinecones & Jingle Bells
I absolutely love using jingle bells of all shapes and sizes for holiday decor. I hang them from the tree, put them on garlands, and coral some in bowls and vessels. On the flip side, for a more natural take, you can use small or even large pinecones, as well. They sell them in stores, of course, but you could also collect them if you have pine trees where you live, just check for insects and whatnot.
Idea #3: Popcorn, Cranberries & Star Anise
Click the play button above on the reel from Erin Francois and be prepared to be awe-struck at just how beautiful strung-up cranberries can look. Like, my goodness it’s beautiful draped on your tree branches! You can also gather them in a bowl, or add in some popcorn for a super festive and nostalgic take. Fresh cranberries and popcorn should last a few weeks before things go south. As for star anise, this wreath is seriously swoon-worthy, made from the spice and an old wire hanger.
Idea #4: Paper Stars
Even just one large star can be enough to make a vignette in your house holiday-ready (see above, again from Erin Francois). You could also get the family (or a friend party) together to make a bunch of much smaller ones for the tree, to hang from mirrors and curtain rods, even from the ceiling. Here’s a tutorial from HGTV I found.
Idea #5: DIY Salt Dough Ornaments
I’m seriously adding this one into my rotation. It’s GORGEOUS. The dough is made of just salt, flour and water, and you can make any shape with them. Use existing cookie cutters you have, or even cookie presses like Curly Girl Kitchen did in the image above. They take a few days to dry out properly before hanging, so don’t try this on Christmas Eve thinking it’ll be ready in time for the big day.
Idea #6: DIY Clay Ornaments
Another route for maybe the more artistically inclined is DIY clay ornaments. Molly Madfis of Almost Makes Perfect always makes the most fun clay ornaments every year (I wait patiently each time to see what’s up her sleeve). But the pretty punctured “snowflake” circles and twine from above seem easy enough and so beautiful.
Idea #7: Wood-Bead Garland or Just Wood in General
Never underestimate the beauty and simplicity of a wood-bead garland. It’s so easy to do yourself even with a toddler like mine, and can be draped over door frames, on the tree, in bowls, along your bed frame…etc. etc. etc. Also, wood ornaments in general are a great option when compared to plastic, of course, and arguably way more aesthetically pleasing.
One Final Note On Wrapping Paper
And finally, wrapping paper. Look, I’m not going to tell you to skip it altogether (though the Japanese tradition of furoshiki gift wrapping is so stinking clever and good-looking) but above all else, try to avoid paper that has foil, glitter, or any plastic components. These things (as well as leftover tape and plastic ribbon/bows), make recycling it null and void, sadly. If there’s any metallic finish, opt for something else! You can always use a pretty ribbon to jazz it up, and those can be used year after year (I keep all mine in a box to pull out each Christmas or anytime I’m wrapping something, tbh).
This is where I leave you. I LOVE decorating for Christmas, and I’m not discouraging anyone from being the same, but if we all make some effort in one or two areas of the process, I bet it could make a big impact over time. Happy holidays, friends.
Until next time…
Opening Image Credit: Design & Styling By Arlyn Hernandez | Photo By Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Arlyn’s Warm (& Sort Of Last-Minute Diyed) Holiday Reveal
Hi. In my experience, this wasn’t how renting a tree worked. I live in WA, and my city partnered with a local nursery to offer a tree rental service. It cost $35—you signed up a few weeks early, drove out to the nursery and picked it up, and then dropped it off at a central location after the holidays. Then there was a volunteer party to plant them all in local parks. There were some downsides: the trees weren’t super big (6′ or so in their pots), they could only handle indoor temps for about two weeks (so you couldn’t keep them in the house during the entire month of December), and they were all the kind of variety that was native to our area, as they were destined for local reforestation projects… so not, like, perfectly symmetrical Noble Firs or whatever. My family still takes covid pretty seriously, so I haven’t done this in the past few years (it involved a LOT of in-person interaction). But it was a lovely option, and gave us several years’ worth of really fun, charmingly wonky trees. I’m definitely not saving your description of tree rentals is inaccurate, by the way—just pointing out… Read more »
That makes sense and would totally work in the pacific north west. I suspect that a lot of these rental trees in so cal don’t actually make it and the fee is more of a delivery and disposal fee.
I agree! I’m a garden designer & in Austin we have really limited options for evergreens to use and then plant, but I’ve used potted Arizona Cypress in festive client porch pots to be planted in the landscape after, and as a bonus, they smell like actual Christmas trees!
Great ideas! This has been on my mind the last several years as well. Another idea is looking in thrift stores! Although not necessarily recyclable but at least it’s re-using things that already exist. I’ve found some great Christmas items at our local Value Village (Canadian version of Salvation Army?) – a set of Christmas mugs, some vintage style ornaments, a Santa shaped cookie jar, candle holders, etc. Also includes the thrill of the treasure hunt!
Yes, there are so many charming Christmas items at every single thrift store!
Replying to my own post with another idea for those with younger kids. My 2 year old daughter loves to colour and usually colours on large rolls of craft paper. We try to use both sides of the paper but we still go through quite a bit of it. This year I am saving her designs to use as wrapping paper for family. Obviously not something I would use as wrapping for a boss or colleague or someone like that. But I think grandparents and other family will be delighted to see her colourful scribbles, and it’s a win-win on giving the colouring paper a second life while avoiding the need for unsustainable wrapping paper. I’ve done the same in the past with art she brings home from pre-school – we turn it into cards for grandparents and they are always thrilled! Saves me spending an ungodly amount on a greeting card that will likely be thrown away anyways!
Don’t forget other ways to be sustainable:
1. Reuse what you have. My grandmother used the same 1950s tinsel tree and decorations (it’s awesome) until she died nearly 40 years later. My aunt has now been using the same tree. 60 years is pretty good! Likewise, my mum still uses the same tree she bought in the early 80s.
2. Buy pre loved! I bought a plastic tree off Gumtree (like Craig’s list) 5 years ago and will use it until it falls apart.
3. See your decorations as collection of your family not an interior design statement. Almost all of the decorations on our tree have been made by my kids or were hand me downs from other family members. Does our tree look like a hot mess – absolutely! But I get so much joy from pulling out insane decorations they gave made over the years (orange dinosaurs, anatomically correct gingerbread men) because it reflects our family
My tree is a hodge podge of kid-made ornaments too. 🙂
3. Those themed trees with everything perfectly matching never seep appropriately festive to me. They feel so contrived, and they feel like they are missing that warmth and tradition that comes with reflecting the story of a family.
Thank you for continuing to post sustainable decor content!
I really appreciate this post and the spirit of sustainability in a season of excess. Thank you so much!
Absolutely agree!
Love the handmade/natural ideas you shared! Wanted to add that, with bigger kids, cross stitch or knitted ornaments are a really fun handicraft/decoration activity.
Littler ones (maybe 5+ depending on motor skills, etc.) can also hand sew simple felt ornaments! Wool felt is really easy to work with.
Love this post! So many great ideas! I never understood new Xmas decorations each year. Sure- I arrange them differently each year and things get added and subtracted here and there but I love getting out the same decorations each year! So fun and nostalgic.
I am also team real tree forever and ever. No comparison and each year it feels like total magic to have a real tree in my house!
I feel like my biggest sustainability win has been to buy one really high quality item per year, and to consciously donate any items that I’m cycling out to actual people BEFORE the holidays. For the new items, I choose versatile items I will keep them no matter how the other things end up being cycled out. A few years ago it was some wood bead garlands and metal outdoor decor that folds down to store in small spaces. The last two years it has been some of the nice drapey cypress/Norfolk pine looking faux garland. I’m at the price point where dollar tree was a primary source of decorations ten years ago and while I still think you get a lot of mileage out of wrapping your whole door in colorful paper, I also think going for something that can be truly used year after year is the best long game. For items that are leaving, the important thing is not to donate them in mid December when most people have already decorated, or in January when you’re sick of them. Clean them up and organize them, then put them aside in a donate box in January and then… Read more »
Buy Nothing groups are also absolutely fantastic when it comes to appreciating & reusing holiday decor!
Another idea for getting a live tree:
There’s a man-made, government-run forest close to us, made mostly of pine trees that were planted in the 1950s-60s. They have a Christmas market every year where they sell trees that were cut as part of the forest management process (to let other trees grow). The market funds the forest’s operations.
Maybe there’s something similar close to where other readers live? Just a reminder that there are other options than commercial tree farms and big-box stores.
This is great! I fear faux everything is taking over, so I love that you’ve focused on easy, pretty, sustainable ideas!
Thank you for sharing these ideas! So appreciated, especially when there is so much waste in this world. Thank you and Merry Christmas
I have no idea if this is actually accurate. But I feel like people having multiple Christmas trees in their homes is increasing the use of artificial trees. Like buying that many trees is too expensive so they invest in artificial tree so they can have several???
I’ve done a lot to make my Christmas more eco friendly. I’m in central Florida, there is a tree farm two counties north of me. They grow “Florida” Christmas trees, not the traditional NC kind. We go every year and cut one down and bring it home. My kids love it and I’d have a mutiny if we stopped it. We also have a small fake tree I picked up second hand. Each year we make ornaments out of compostable materials. I also buy ikea wrapping paper or decorate Amazon shipping brown paper as wrapping and compost it minus the tape. My teen and my preschooler love helping with all of it. Some of our gifts are second hand too. Teen is getting several “vintage” (cough cough 1990s) Lego and preschooler some used in new shape books. They also get new items, but wherever I can be kinder to the earth I will do it.
Love this! This year my daughter used all the pretty Garnet Hill catalogs we get in the mail and made a lovely long paper chain for us to hang and drape.
Four more ideas! First up: yarn garlands. You just need yarn and fingers – I taught my 6 year old to finger knit in a few minutes, and he LOVES it. It’s suuuuuuper simple (if you crochet, it’s just a very long chain), and takes about a minute to master – here’s a cute tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rjrRZmrsRg It’s a nice easy craft, stores very small, kids can help, and even if it’s lumpy or uneven, it looks great! I don’t love the idea of food garlands, and this is just as charming but won’t get messy. Also you can make it any length at all – custom decor! Two: paper snowflakes! I tape them all over our windows, and it’s SO COZY. My kids and I have a fun 20 minutes making a few new ones from regular printer paper every year, and in January we save the good ones for next year and recycle any, ahem, less successful flakes. It looks amazing and it’s very fun. Wrapping: take the lazy lady’s advice over here, and get into gift bags for EVERYTHING. My whole family does this, and we reuse the bags for years and years. We just stick new tags… Read more »
I love those handmade ornaments!! Some things I have started doing over the years to be more sustainable during the holiday season: We have given our tree to a goat farm for the goats to eat. We have also put our tree in the dunes on the beach (the city allows this to help with erosion). Estate sales this time of year have so much Christmas stuff; lots of wrapping paper and decor items. Reuse what you have and only add one or two new items if you really feel the “joy” to have them!
This year I am making a garland out of all the wine corks I’ve been saving over the past 5 years. Also one year, I did a tree decorated with only origami cranes that I spent a week making.
Please remember the most eco friendly option of all, thrifting and using what you already have! The depression era mindset of our grandparents is the best eco practice of all, use it up, repair it, make do and try not to buy anything new.
Every year I grab the tree branch cuttings that are left behind when Christmas trees get wrapped up to be taken home and make garland by draping the branches on my mantel. The people at Lowe’s and Home Depot always look at me odd for asking to dig through their tree trash bin, but it’s free and sustainable!
The tree sales in grocery parking lots are another good place to gather clippings!
These are really inspiring and helpful ideas, thank you!
My family had a small potted pine tree for several Christmases in a row when I was in my early teens. We kept it outside for most of the year except for about 2-3 weeks in December when we took it inside and decorated. I think we may have repotted it once but eventually it got too big and heavy to keep rotating it inside every winter. So we stopped that tradition and planted it in our backyard. Over the years it grew to be so impressively big that our neighbors started complaining and there was risk of potential storm-related tree damage. So my parents ultimately decided to fell it a couple years ago in December and then donated it to our town’s church were our little pine tree all grown up served as a Christmas tree again one last time ❤️
Love the post and also ideas in the comments! A few years back I bought cute Christmas fabric and made a bunch of cloth bags. Just super simple, no patterns. We’ll use them forever.
Excited to see an organic farm option near us in Chicago. We’re hoping to cut one down this Friday!
I’m more and more turned off by the retail excess as the years go on, especially after this election. I’ve ended up in Homegoods a couple times recently, and it kills me. I know I can’t save the earth alone, but I have to do what I can. Thanks for some great inspiration!
Love this, Arlyn! Thank you for bringing this conversation into the holiday design space. There are so many ways to be both festive and sustainable! I work in sustainability and just launched a local reusable gift wrap business to bring the conversation of sustainable materials into the consumer goods market. They’re made from 100% remnant designer and vintage fabrics. I only sell locally in San Diego, but if any sustainable design enthusiasts are interested, send me a DM on instagram @communalgifts.
These are all great ideas! A few years ago I hemmed a bunch of quilting cotton in different sizes to use as Furoshiki. Not only is it reusable and plastic-free, but it makes wrapping super quick!
The most sustainable thing to remember is that less consumption causes less waste. We try to buy fewer, higher quality gifts, decorate with what we already have rather than buying into trends, and focusing on spending time with loved ones, rather than on stuff.
Thank you for this. It’s in ALL of our best interests to be more mindful about purchase decisions. To your great points/ideas, I’d add:
a) pack up and re-use gift bags and tissue – I don’t think I’ve bought one in decades! You can also sew some quick & easy fabric gift bags, or just wrap fabric around an item
b) avoid buying glitter anything – it’s microplastic, and a mess for your house and the environment
c) have discussions about minimizing gift giving – we have so much more than we need
All of these suggestions are really good to get one thinking about what else could we do.
I wonder if we could start a movement that every year the week after Halloween neighborhoods , towns,
subdivisions could all have a free Christmas decoration exchange. Everyone brings Christmas decor in good condition they are tired of and it gets displayed on tables and the next day anyone interested gets to shop with the admission of two or three canned goods for a local food pantry. A school or local club or recreation center could sponsor this. People would go home with new to them ornaments and decorations without spending more than the cost of the canned goods. It would be recycling and donating for a great purpose.
Not sure if Christmas crackers are a thing in the US but last year I bought a set of sustainable crackers that can be re-used every year. They’re fabric and cardboard and you can add your own snaps and gifts/jokes etc inside. So much better than crappy crackers that are filled with rubbish no-one wants that all gets thrown in the bin immediately after lunch. I made them up myself, but you can also purchase them premade. This is the company I used https://wastefreecelebrations.co.nz/ and writing this has reminded me that I need to get myself sorted for fun inserts for this year! Great feature Arlyn!
Thanks for this! We do Christmas Crackers every year and I can’t image stopping, but the waste is pretty bad. Love this idea!
I’m glad to know that a real tree is the more eco-friendly choice since that’s what we do every year. Am I the only one who really needs a real tree for the good smell properties to combat the, um, not a good smells in my house? My three boys are FINALLY all potty-trained but there were a few years there when it felt like there was always some weird smell in the house. 😂
One more ornament idea to add – when my kids were little I’d mix cinnamon (bought in bulk, not in jars) and applesauce until I had a stiff dough, then I’d roll it out use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out ornaments. A straw will make a nice circular hole for threading a ribbon through. Then the kids get to use beads and make them into little Christmas trees. Let them dry for a few days on a cookie sheet and you’re good to go. Older kids can use the cookie cutters themselves and honestly you could use any kind of shape. The kids gave them as little favors, we had a few parties with friends to make more, we kept some to use on our tree, and we still have a few 20+ years later. They smell great.
I guess being low income growing up made us “green”. I’ve never heard of anyone ever buying all new decorations every year for Christmas. I collect shiny brite ornaments from the mid century. I find them at thrift, antique stores etc. It’s like a treasure hunt. They can be used in so many ways to add color and festivity to spaces. I gather greens , red sticks and pinecones from the woods to fill my window boxes and make wreaths or swags. Christmas can be special without it being about consumption.
I have always reused wrapping paper, ribbons and other trim, even gift tags! It’s actually kind of sweet to get the same tag from a prior year. And when my mom didn’t have a lot of money we did wrap with paper grocery bags or newspaper. We also made popcorn garlands for our tree. Now, I have a container of ornaments collected over the years but the starting collection was from a party at my apartment in 1985 when the ladies who worked in my department each brought an ornament for my tree! I remember them each as I pull them out. I love the memories- I don’t ever want to buy a whole new look.
Growing up my mom, grandma and aunt changed their Christmas decor one time when I was a younger teenager. So when I was an adult with my own place I did the same thing. Many years later when I joined social media I was flabbergasted to see that people change all of their decor every year! What a waste- and so expensive! Plus it takes the memories and the nostalgia out of decorating. We cut down our own tree every year and it’s my favorite tradition!
When I was little, my dad got a real tree every year and then planted them around town after Christmas. Now they’re huge and really cool to show my kids when we go back to Arkansas. There’s one in the front of my old elementary school that was planted forty years ago. 🙂
For the past several years, I’ve been foraging the dried flowers and plant material from our yard/garden to supplement the heirloom ornaments collected over the years. Dried hydrangeas are especially impactful and beautiful on a tree of wreath.
Also, growing up, back when every household received oodles of beautiful holiday cards, both my mom and grandmother recycled them as Christmas tags and even tucked them into the branches of their Christmas trees. I used to love searching through the collection for just the right card to fit the paper & person. So if you’re lucky enough to still get cards, it was a lovely way to reuse what otherwise goes straight into the bin after the holidays.
We used to also use the last year’s Xmas cards to make tags with! Nowadays if you get a card, it is the photo montage so that doesn’t really work anymore. I have collected some old Xmas postcards from antiques stores and they are tucked among the branches of my Xmas tree that is decorated with family heirloom ornaments from Germany and ones I had growing up. Plus I still have the original tinsel we used when I was little (1970’s) and I enjoy putting it on the tree, one strand at a time, just like my Mom used to do.
I had no idea it was a thing to change Christmas decorations each year!!! Amazed.
I’ve got some really beautiful and quite expensive Christmas decorations which I totally treasure and hope to have for many years to come.
Australians don’t decorate inside their houses as much as Americans seem to, possibly because taking down the decorations is a real drag, but I do like to add some real stuff in there, usually some gum leaves from the backyard and some red, pink or orange flowering gum blossoms.
In actually not even sure if/where you’d get a real tree but most people have the plastic versions and keep them for, like ever.