On Never Having a Real Christmas Tree

My family has never had a real Christmas tree, at least as long as I've been alive. My parents had a couple of real trees when they were first married, but not in my memory. Apparently they had mosquito and other bug-related problems, and it was just a mess to keep clean. They bought an artificial tree after that and we've had one ever since. 

I always see pictures and posts from friends and family, and blog posts from my fellow bloggers, from their Christmas-tree-picking adventures, and it always looks like a good family outing. One time in my life, I want to get a real tree for one Christmas, just so I can say I've had a real tree. But that will have to wait until I have my own house and family, and that's a while away. 
A large part of us having artificial trees is my mom's allergies and asthma. Real trees come with all sorts of allergens and dust that would make my mom sneeze and cough all day. If I were an asthmatic, I wouldn't want to breathe in all that dust and stuff all the time. Plus, they require a lot of maintenance and clean-up. We've also always had animals--and by "animals," I mean cats--and I don't think cats and a real tree would mix very well. 
To be honest, artificial trees are just easier for my family. Ours is pre-lit, so we don't even have to string lights around it. The less we have to fumble with when setting up and decorating, the better. 
Maybe I'll start with a real wreath, and work my way up to a real tree one day. Maybe.

Do you have a real tree or an artificial tree? What's your preference? What tips do you have for a first-time real tree buyer?