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Conversation Magazine: The Christmas tree is actually older than Christmas. Evergreen plants were the decoration of choice for ancient winter solstices

A WSJ Op said the Christmas tree we now know and love came from Germany in the 1700s. Germans used to hang decorative cookies on the tree -- by the 1890s, retailers were making millions selling ornaments

Nowadays, the Christmas tree trade is a big deal. Curbed wrote on the wild world of Christmas tree traders in New York -- read all about it here

But Green-Biz doesn’t like the whole affair. Christmas trees aren’t totally environmentally friendly. Shipping trees take fuel, and it’s better for the environment if Christmas trees stay in the ground

Science20 disagrees: Christmas tree farms are good for the planet! Environmentalists just need something to whine about

PopSci said it depends: The Christmas tree industry uses pesticides and fertilizer. But they also take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. If you buy local, getting a real tree could be very eco-friendly

Eco concerns aside, decorating just one tree at Christmas just isn’t enough for some people. Check out The WSJ’s deep dive into the world of extreme Christmas decorating here