The debate between whether to get a real or fake Christmas tree has been argued for decades on end. There are undeniable pros and cons to both. Real trees smell better and offer that authentic Christmas feel. However, it involves killing a tree, real trees are more likely to catch on fire, and are kind of messy. Fake trees on the other hand are often prelit, saving lots of time stringing lights, and reusable year after year. However, they don’t offer that authentic pine aroma, and tend to look, well fake. One woman on TikTok has offered a new con of real trees to the argument: They are more likely to host bugs — like thousands of praying mantis’.
1 | Andrew Shared a Video About Her Surprise Discovery
ShutterstockAndrea, who goes by the TikTok handle @andeekitty, shared a video about the surprise she found in her real Christmas tree: Thousands of praying mantis bugs.
2 | She Found “A Million” Praying Mantis Babies in Her Tree
andeekitty/Tiktok"That time our tree hatched a million friends," Andrea wrote in the text overlay. In the freaky photo, baby praying-mantis bugs can be seen all over the tree.
3 | Now, “Only Fake Trees”
ShutterstockAndrea, grossed out by the discovery, claims she has sworn off real trees. “Only fake trees from now on,” she added.
4 | She Concluded: “Beware of the Real Trees
SDI Productions/iStock"Beware of the real trees,” she added in the video’s caption adding the hashtags #christmastreefail and #faketreenextyear.
5 | Other People Chimed in On Similar Experiences
andeekitty/TiktokAndrea isn’t the only person who has discovered bugs and other animals in their tree. Several people commented, sharing their experiences.
6 | One Woman Found Recluse Spiders in Her Tree
iStockMine was filled with brown recluse spiders with a bunch of babies,” commented another person. “My whole house was covered and my puppy was bitten on his nose and died within 2 hours.”
7 | Someone Even Found a Bat
Shutterstock/Lillian Tveit“I had a bat in mine one year,” wrote another. “That was fun.”
8 | It Happened to Someone’s Neighbor and “They Chucked the Tree”
iStock"This happened to an old neighbor of mine, they chucked the tree right off the second story deck,” another chimed in.
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9 | Others Said They Will Be Getting Fake Trees From Now On
Shutterstock/JadeCross"The fresh pine smell ain't worth this,” one concluded. Another agreed: “Nevermind I don’t want a real tree,” they wrote.
