When I was growing up, we always had a fake Christmas tree. Every year the family would gather to assemble it in the living room. You had to match each color-coded "branch" to its corresponding hole on the tree "trunk."

As a young child this process delighted me, but as I got a little older I started to long for a real tree. I didn't know at that point that manufacturing PVC plastic for fake Christmas trees releases cancer-causing dioxins into the environment. Nor did I realize that I really shouldn't have been playing with the light strings, because some vinyl-coated strings contain lead that come come off the surface of the cords with handling.

My childish yearning was not for a toxin-free holiday, but for that fresh pine scent and a soft carpet of falling needles. (Actually, I think the falling needles are what my mom, always a sensible housekeeper, was trying to avoid. Plus, falling needles are a sign of dehydrated tree, which is a fire hazard.) I wanted the whole Normal Rockwell-ish scene of my family trekking out into the forest with an axe and dragging a fresh-cut tree home.

Now that I have a family of my own, my husband and I opt for a real tree (my father has finally converted my mother as well). We don't go out into the woods with an axe, but we get fresh, locally grown trees from the guys who sell them on the sidewalk in our neighborhood, or from the farmers' market. I'm glad we're avoiding the whole non-recyclable, toxic-chemical-releasing, PVC plastic tree scenario, but I still can’t help but feel a little guilty for cutting down a living tree to enjoy a month's decoration.

My husband, Chris, reminds me that Christmas trees are grown on land that might be otherwise be paved over and developed, so we are in fact creating a market for carbon-absorbing trees -- a gain for the environment.

In addition, New York City, where we live, has a program that collects all the trees after the holidays and turns them into mulch for city parks. Many cities have tree-recycling programs -- you can call your local sanitation department or check Earth 911 to find out how and where to recycle your cut tree. (Plastic trees can't be recycled, and if your plastic tree is incinerated at the dump, it will release cancer-causing dioxins into the air.)

Since I figured our cut tree was better than plastic, and locally grown, too, I haven't put too much thought into my purchase, other than whether it will fit in our elevator or not. But another thing to consider is that Christmas tree farms can use pesticides that are toxic to wildlife, and some of those pesticides can remain on the tree when you bring it into your home. I just found out you should never let your dog drink out of the Christmas tree stand. That water might be contaminated with pesticides and make your pet sick. Which makes me wonder what those pesticides are doing to the water near the Christmas tree farms.

So this year I'm going to look for an organically grown Christmas tree. We might take a trip up to a nearby farm (Green Promise has nationwide listings of environmentally friend Christmas tree sellers, and Local Harvest can also help find a farm with Christmas trees near you), or talk to the sellers on the sidewalk in our neighborhood or in the farmer's market about how they manage pesticide use.

Another option would be to get a live tree in a pot. A potted tree can spend the holidays in your home, and then be replanted in your yard, or (with permission) in a park or wilderness area. Ideally, you should have a plan for replanting your potted tree before you buy it. In San Francisco, Portland, and San Diego, you can actually rent a potted tree, which will go back to the nursery after a couple of weeks with you.

I'll be frank -- as a city dweller, the potted tree thing sounds a little daunting, although I'm sure it smells great and probably sheds fewer needles! Have you ever tried getting a potted Christmas tree? I'd love to hear about your Christmas tree experiences (did anyone else have that fake tree with the color-coded branches?) and any other green holiday decorating and tree-care tips you'd like to share.

Image: Mirona Iliescu