The best live tabletop Christmas tree

The Christmas Reindeer Live Tree With Lights from L.L.Bean will fill your home with the wonderful aroma of fresh Alberta spruce.

While faux Christmas trees have many benefits, they also have one huge deficit: They lack the potent conifer fragrance that adds so much impact to a real tree. And no, spraying pine-scented air freshener on an artificial tree just isn't the same.

With the Christmas Reindeer Live Tree With Lights from L.L.Bean, that's not a problem. This beautiful little tree is a dwarf Alberta spruce, so it smells just as fresh from the forest as it looks. Even better, it arrives ready to display — already decorated with white LED lights, a wooden reindeer ornament, tiny pinecones, and clusters of faux red berries. You can add more ornaments if you'd like, or simply set the tree wherever you want a touch of holiday spirit.

The tree is in a rustic silver-tone galvanized pot, so there's no need to worry about a stand or a mess on your table. You don't even need to look for an electrical outlet; the LED lights run off three AA batteries (not included) and a built-in timer that keeps the lights shining for up to six hours at a time.

As this is a living tree, measurements can vary, but your tree will be between 22 and 26 inches tall, with an 8- to 9-inch diameter. Once the holidays are over, if you live in a cold-weather area (USDA gardening zones 3 to 6 are best), you can plant your tree right in your garden, where it potentially will slowly grow to a full height of 8 to 10 feet tall.

L.L.Bean starts shipping their live Christmas trees the week of Thanksgiving, so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your tabletop tree.

Pros: Nothing beats the fragrance of a real Christmas tree

Cons: Expensive, will drop needles if the air is too dry or hot