Real v. Fake

I find the real v. fake tree debate really interesting.  The Christmas Tree is the centerpiece of our holiday decor, so what does it say about your decor if you have a fake tree?

I've found that the different camps tend to begin with how they grew up.  I grew up with a fake tree, Nate grew up with a real tree.  The first year we lived together and began decorating for Christmas it was unavoidable that we would be faced with this argument.  But considering we were young twenty-somethings with little money and our apartment building wouldn't allow real trees, I won the argument by default.  Over the years, it's become a nonissue since we've been able to reuse the tree each year, but I do appreciate the benefits of a real tree.  It's so much more authentic and instantly brings you into the Christmas spirit once the smell permeates the room.  On the other hand, the down side of additional expense, transportation, clean up and doing it over again every year can overshadow the genuiness of having a real tree in your home.  In addition, I've found that a fake tree allows all of your attention (and budget for that matter) to go towards the ornaments and decorations on the tree, so you can make your tree look that much more festive.

Our fake tree has served us well over the past several years but we find ourselves at a crossroads this year in our new home.  Our trusty 6 foot tree is being overtaken by the 12 foot loft ceilings in our home and its just not going to work for this space.  This has left us to wonder if it's time for something new.  Should we invest in a larger fake tree or take the leap to a real one? 

Is your tree real or fake?  What would you suggest?