Hay River (Dec 20/04) - It may not rank with the great political debates of our time, but one issue faces almost all Northerners at this time of year.

That's whether to have a real or artificial Christmas tree. Troy Ellsworth of Fort Smith is a fan of natural Christmas trees.

"When I get a natural tree, it reminds me of being a kid," he says.

"They smell nice," he notes.

A natural tree helps create the "atmosphere" of Christmas, he says.

However, Hay River's Jennifer Mackie prefers an artificial tree. Her main reason is the mess created by a natural tree. Pine needles end up stuck in the feet and hands of her young children, she says.

"I like the smell of a real pine tree," she admits.

Selecting a Christmas tree is, of course, a family decision, and many couples don't always agree on which is best.

Gale Cook of Hay River says she loves artificial Christmas trees, but will never have one because her husband, Ron, prefers natural trees.

"That's all right with me," Gale says.

She says her husband also loves cutting his own tree and the smell of the tree in their house. Still, she would like an artificial tree that didn't need to be decorated year after year, but stored in the basement until needed.

In Fort Smith, Dixie Penner prefers a natural Christmas tree, especially the nice smell of a fir.

"Somehow that seems like Christmas for me," she says.

However, she notes her husband, Larry, prefers an artificial tree because they don't drop needles, and it is easier to stand back up if it is tipped over by one of their pets.

Dixie won the debate for the first 10 years of their marriage, but for the last 10 years the couple have had an artificial tree.

The change was made after they cut a spruce tree for Christmas. When it warmed up in their house, spruce budworms started to fall off.

Although she now laughs at the memory of the infested Christmas tree, Dixie recalls, "It was just horrendous."