Having a Christmas tree at home normally means either cutting down a living tree or buying a fake one. And debate has raged about which is truly the greener option. But now there’s a third way: a living, potted tree.
Scott Martin, also known as “Scotty Claus,” started The Living Christmas Company in 2008 to deliver live rental trees to homes in California. He said the trend has really picked up over the years.
“We’re breathing new life into the symbol,” he said.
He doesn’t disparage the practice of cutting down trees, but he is happy to offer an alternative.
“There are people who’ve started to say it doesn’t feel good to be killing a tree, but the only other option was an artificial tree,” Martin said. “You can have a live tree that still meets the tradition of it, and ... it’s something that continues living on into the new year.”
Though live-tree rental services are not available in the United States outside of California to our knowledge, many people across the country and in all climates buy live trees from nurseries for Christmas.
