Christmas Euphorbia
The various benefits of real v. vinyl Christmas trees has been discussed on Sparrowpost before… in the years since I first researched the question, evidence seems to have continued to favor “real” cut Christmas trees as the more sustainable option.
Because we usually leave town and have a small apartment, and also because I’m lazy and cheap, we have sought some other options. For example, we did a Christmas branch last year. 
(Notice the “elegant” eucalpytus garland that makes my bookshelf look like Mr. Snufulupagus). This year we brought out my favorite holiday plant (which also stars as our Easter Egg tree in springtime), my estate sale Euphorbia. These wonderful succulents require almost no care, will grow gigantic if permitted to do so, have perfect ornament-hanging branches. They tend to be more vertical than the standard Xmas tree shape, but they could probably be pruned and trained into greater compliance. And unlike a real potted Xmas tree, this lovely euphorbia has lived happily in a pot for many years (it was an adult when I got it 5 years ago) and will likely continue to do so for many more. We did burn a “nobel fir” scented candle while decorating for the full piney effect, and really, it was a pretty good substitute.
