Artificial Christmas Trees
Hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again…the holidays are here and Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. I said to my husband today that it’s time to get in the attic and pull down the Christmas decor and he was not quite as enthusiastic as I was.
Finding the perfect artificial Christmas trees can feel a bit overwhelming, but the right one will ensure your entire home looks like a gorgeous winter wonderland. With a home and barndo to deck for the holidays, I have a lot of decking the halls to do and the perfect trees will ensure everything looks fabulous.
Here you will find all of my tips for selecting the best artificial Christmas trees this holiday season!
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Real Christmas Trees
Over the years we have had a fresh Christmas tree; both the kind we have purchased at the garden center and a real tree that we have cut down ourselves. If you’ve never cut down your own tree as a family, I highly recommend it, if you like that sort of stuff. It’s super fun and nice to do at least once.
As a kid, we always had a fake Christmas tree and vowed I would have a real tree once I had a family. My mother didn’t like the mess of a real tree nor the hassle of having to buy a tree every year. As I mom now myself, I totally get that!
Pros of Real Christmas Trees
- Nothing can beat the smell of a real tree
- Picking out a real tree is an experience the whole family can enjoy
- 1 acre of Christmas trees provides enough oxygen for 18 people every day
- Natural aroma of fresh pine evokes memories of Christmases past
- Real Christmas trees are biodegradable
- Limbs from a used, dried Christmas tree can be used as kindling for an outdoor fire pit
Cons of Real Christmas Trees:
- Needles can cause a mess
- Trees can carry allergens
- Buying one every year can be costly
- You can’t put them up as early as a fake tree
- They can be a burden, bringing them to your home
- You have to water them daily to keep them fresh and increase their resistance to fire
- They might harbor mold, fungi, or bugs
- They are typically more prone to fires, especially if you don’t keep them hydrated
Fake Christmas Trees
As a family, we had a real Christmas tree for six Christmas’ and then I was done and moved to a faux Christmas tree. We enjoyed going and cutting down our own tree together, but as the kids got older they became less interested and I was tiered of the mess and constant watering of a tree. Plus, I wanted to put my tree up earlier than the end of November.
Pros of Fake Christmas Trees
- You can reuse them for many years, saving you money over time
- Easy to install, dismantle, and store
- Most trees are flame retardant
- Most artificial trees look as attractive as real trees
- Watering is not necessary
- No needle mess
- Easy to set up
- Can put your tree up as early as you want
- Less of a fire hazard
Cons of Fake Christmas Trees
- Does not have the fresh pine smell
- They are made with harmful chemicals including metal and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a non-biodegradable, petroleum-derived plastic, which when manufactured produces carcinogens like dioxin, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride
- After disposing of an artificial tree, it will lay in landfills for centuries
Artificial Christmas Tree Sizes
Artificial Christmas trees come in a few standard sizes: 7.5 foot, 9 foot, 10 foot and 12 foot. Most people will need a 7 foot or 7.5 foot Christmas tree as these are standard and most ideal sizes. If you have a room with 8-9 foot ceilings a 7.5 foot tree is best. If your ceilings are 10 feet then go for a 9 foot tree and if you have extra tall ceilings or a vaulted space (like a foyer or living room), then you can even go for a 10-12 foot tree for that wow factor!
Sometimes it’s fun to use other sizes in other rooms to add variety like I did in our Green, Blue and Lovely Christmas Bedroom.
Pre-lit Christmas Tree
When I was a kid, my mom and brother always put the lights on the tree while I eagerly waited to put on the ornaments. In my younger years, pre-lit Christmas trees didn’t exist and we had to add the lights manually every year. While I watched my mom and brother put on the lights I was always hurt I wasn’t included, but now that I’m older, I wish they were there to add the lights as I dislike putting lights on the tree.
I love a pre-lit tree and will never go back to doing them myself. For a lovely impact, have up to 5,000 lights on a 7.5 foot tree, 6,000 lights to a 9 foot tree, and 8,500 lights to a 10 foot+ tree. Ensure to start at the base of each branch (closest to the trunk) and move back and forth across every branch. An artificial Christmas trees with lights already pre-strung is definitely the way to go!
Flocked Christmas Tree
A flocked Christmas tree is an artificial Christmas tree that has been treated to look as though it’s covered in freshly fallen snow. Thus the name “flocking.”
The flocking material is sprayed onto the branches of an artificial Christmas tree to make it appear as though it is covered in snow. A flocked Christmas tree can have the appearance of delicately frosted branches or heavily laden boughs. snow in winter. I do not have a flocked Christmas tree but maybe some day I will as I do think they are gorgeous.
Balsam Hill Christmas Trees
Balsam Hill Christmas trees seem to be an industry standard in the best artificial Christmas tree world. More on the expensive side and I would not consider these a cheap fake Christmas tree but they are gorgeous and make a statement. We do not have one, but maybe some day we will. I would love a 12 foot Balsam Hill Christmas tree for our barndominium. They seem to be some of the best realistic Christmas trees on the market.
Best Artificial Christmas Trees
1// 2// 3// 4// 5// 6// 7// 8// 9
Our Three Trees
How Many Ornaments?
Ornaments come in all shapes and sizes and you can fill up a tree with a different variety of different styles of ornaments.
How many ornaments is best for tree? It depends on the height of the tree and what your style is. You might be a minimalist or want a certain tree in your house to be less full than another.
Here are some general guidelines for ornaments: 7.5 foot tree – no less than 100 ornaments to make sure things don’t look to sparse. 9 foot tree – anywhere from 150-200 ornaments, 10 foot tree – up to 250 ornaments. This is just a guide and up to personal preference too.
Ribbon or Garland?
I tend to be into the wood bead garland and ribbons lately, but I know that will change at some point. My Velvet Bow Christmas Tree was simple but impactful and I loved the simple tied navy velvet ribbons tied all over the tree with little metal bell garland and ornaments.
Add your garland and ribbon first before the ornaments.
Favorite Christmas Ribbon
Christmas Tree Storage
It might be crazy to think that Christmas decor will be going up soon and even more crazy to think about Christmas tree storage, but the earlier you purchase your storage bin or bag the better if you don’t have one already. They tend to sell out quickly.
I have Christmas tree storage bags for the smaller trees and use a large bin for our 9 foot tree.
Final Thoughts on Artificial Christmas Trees
Whether you decide to select a fresh tree or an artificial…or a mixture of fresh and faux; what matters is not how well our decorate but the meaning of the season. Hope this post was helpful in selecting the best artificial Christmas trees!
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- The Best Faux Garland for Christmas Decorating
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- Christmas Tree Collar Ideas
Artificial Christmas Trees
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