The Christmas tree debate: real or fake?

[Misty9]

We've got a 7 foot plastic tree but I'm hankering after a real one this year. But which would be more environmentally friendly? To ditch the fake and buy a real one (give fake one away) or stick with the fake one? We've had it about 3 years I think.

What are the benefits of each do people think?

Always a real one and we bag the kids up in the netting machine every year too :)

DH is allergic to real Christmas trees so we have a fake one