Real vs. Fake -- For the Holidays and at Work

There’s been a lot of talk this year about a decline in the sales of real trees. That’s bad news for those who sell real trees, as well as real-tree enthusiasts. They point to that great balsam smell you can’t get with an artificial tree and the family experience of picking out that perfect tree as pluses and decry those who put up fake trees as sellouts.

I’ve always had an artificial tree. Part of it is for practical reasons. I love Christmas, and I want to enjoy the holidays as long as I can. A real tree can’t go up early. I also have a terrific artificial tree that is incredibly lifelike, so I don’t miss the real thing (except for the smell). But I do understand the love of the real tree. My parents-in-law get a real one each year, and I enjoy it when I visit.

Since I work for Monster, the whole debate got me thinking about fake versus real in the office. Honesty is a point of pride with me. But while honesty is usually the best policy, there are notable exceptions. Being friendly with coworkers can make the day go by quicker and even improve your productivity, but some things should be kept on the down low while you’re at work. Having a mental illness, family crisis or another situation on your hands is not necessarily something you should share with everyone you work with. This may call for a bit of being fake to make things look better than they are, kind of like those artificial trees. But in the end, some things should be kept under your hat.

Happy holidays, everyone.

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