We have both actually- a real one in the Living Room, and a artifical one in the Game Room.

I love how sparkly garland looks,and I have this beautiful kind thats blue with silver stars- but I worry about my kitties eating it - they chew on everything- so we put it on the tree in the Game Room because that room is off limits to the furkids.

The tree in the Living Room has kitty-safe decorations on it, and no tinsel is allowed in the house whatsoever.

Did you know they have an essence you can spray on an artificial tree to make it smell like a real one? The best of both worlds