A Christmas Tree Quandry

I've always loved real Christmas trees. I think my family had a fake one for a couple of years, but one fateful Christmas we had a new puppy in the house who decided to unwrap all of our gifts and chew up the tree a few days before Christmas. I think we stuck with real after that. And kept the dog outside while the gifts were under the tree. Really it's a miracle nothing caught on fire.

But I digress...
The question is: real tree or fake tree?
Keep in mind I haven't done any research (i.e. googled it) or anything, but I thought I'd share my thought process going into this holiday season.

Real trees:
Pros- They smell awesome. Really really awesome.
They look prettier than fake trees (to me).
It feels like Christmas when I have a real tree.
Cons- They shed needles all over the place.
I'm always scared my dogs will try to pee on real trees (even though they never have).
How environmentally friendly is it to have a real tree? (This is what I need to google more).

Fake Trees:
Pros- They're way cheaper in the long run. If you take good care of them...
Cons - They don't smell anything like awesome.
Way less pretty than real trees (to me).
Maybe my dogs will use a fake tree as a chew toy?!
I have no idea what fake trees impact on the environment is. I feel sure they aren't biodegradable, nor can they be turned into mulch. Even I know that.
What on earth are these things made of anyway?

What have you or your family decided? Real tree or fake tree? Why?

If you are going for a real tree, and you live in the good ol' LG, I do know of a farm where you can cut down your own tree, and pet their cows, horses and yes people, llamas. You just let me know if you need directions.

While you're thinking about all this, turn on your favorite Christmas music and drink something warm - it's Christmas time!