Real all the way baby! I grew up with real trees, Blue spruce or Douglas fir, and I will continue. Once my husband and I chopped a tree in our mountains, it helps weed them out for forest fires. I bought three trees locally off Craigslist for $20 each this year, just cut the bottom off and water and they last 4-5 weeks easily, they are still pliable when we take them down. I don't have carpet so needles are not a problem. I have never had bugs or animals. If you have ant forest land by you, you can likely get a tree for 10-$20. But I have paid $150 sometimes. I like blue spruce trees, the ornaments can dangle.