GO WITH THE FAUX
Artificial trees now come pre-lit and with baubles attached, so this year why not...
While a fake Christmas tree used to be the height of naffness, the most modern incarnations of these festive staples are to be found in the most stylish of homes this year.
The big difference from artificial trees of old is the quality. They have incredibly life-like branches, some pre-lit with lights and others with a dusting of frost. ‘So much passion goes into designing our exclusive faux collection to make every branch look as close to the real thing as possible,’ says Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company.
Mac harman, founder and CeO of luxury artificial tree company Balsam hill, says sales of their biggest trees have been strong since July. But how big should you go?
‘look for a tree that is at least six inches lower than the ceiling height,’ says harman. ‘A 7ft 5in tree is best for a standard 8ft 9in ceiling, as this ensures that the tip of the Christmas tree does not hit the ceiling and allows space for a tree topper.’
how you decorate is deeply personal, imbued with family tradition. But we’re getting savvy: a fifth of households have given up decorating the back of the Christmas tree, according to new research by Argos. harman also advises that ‘you need at least 100 lights per foot of tree’.
Artificial trees are, on the whole, more expensive than a real tree, but the cost should be made up over a few years. helen Ashmore, head of design at laura Ashley, says: ‘An
artificial Christmas tree is a true investment, one that can be easily assembled every Christmas for years to come.’
FESTIVE FAKES
FOR the most natural-looking tree, you need to look for those made from polyethylene. ‘it
allows tree makers to mould the needles for better realism and those trees generally have the best quality, colour and shape,’ says harman.
Balsam hill’s 6ft unlit Royal Blue Spruce (£299, balsamhill.co.uk) gets rave reviews, while John lewis say its best-selling artificial tree is the 7ft unlit Sherwood Green (£211.65, johnlewis.com), which has a full style with a traditional conical shape.
For those hunting for a bargain, the Mountain Pine design from Christmas Tree World starts from £ 49.99 for a 4ft tree, has a bushy branch style and a high count of PVC branch tips (christmastreeworld.co.uk).
ALL LIT UP
One part of Christmas that is bound to send you into a rage is detangling the lights from the year before: but you can side- step that festive meltdown by choosing a pre-lit tree.
‘They are a great solution, with lights already strung and arranged to minimise the appearance of wires,’ says harman.
They are on trend this year, with sales at John lewis up nearly 70 per cent compared with the same period last year.
The price can vary quite dramatically — so be conscious of the bulb count. For a budget-busting option, consider Balsam hill’s 7ft nordmann Fir with candlelight clear leDs (£579). A mid-market option is laura Ashley’s 210cm Frosted lit leD Tree With Pine Cones (£390, next.co.uk), while a cheaper take on the trend is Ryman’s 180cm Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Tree, which comes decorated with ornaments (£74.99, ryman.co.uk, ).
SPACE SAVERS
AS MORe than three- quarters of us admit we struggle to fit a Christmas tree into our homes, a space- saving option could be the answer.
Argos has just launched a 6ft Pre-lit half Christmas Tree (£41.25, argos.co.uk) that sits flush against the wall.
it’s not just the living room that might benefit from a slimmer tree. Abi Wilson, head of buying at Argos, says the half trees are designed for compact areas including staircases, hallways and landings.
‘Areas like these are often overlooked when it comes to decorating, but can be as important as the living room,’ she says.
‘A well- decorated hallway makes a great first impression for visiting friends and family, while a tree placed on a landing or in a spare bedroom offers a surprise for guests.’
You might also need a tiny tree for a small space. ‘i love to place a smaller sized tree on my kitchen windowsill — and they are great for a child’s room, guest bedrooms, bathrooms, or downstairs cloakrooms,’ adds Chrissie Rucker.
Try The White Company’s Pre-lit Mini Christmas Tree (£35, thewhitecompany. com) or lights4fun’s 90cm Pre-lit Potted Christmas Tree (£99.99, lights4fun.co.uk), which can also go outdoors.
TWIG TREES
‘TWiG trees offer a contemporary and minimalist take on Christmas,’ says Jason Billings-Cray, Christmas buyer at John lewis. he adds that as customers increasingly opt for multiple trees, twig trees are a popular choice.
Try John lewis’ 6ft Pre-lit Birch Twig Tree in copper (£84.15, johnlewis.com).
For some, a tree-shaped wall hanging is enough to set the scene. Dani Taylor, product and creative director at Cox & Cox, says: ‘Our fabric lit Tree Wall hanging (from £27.50, coxandcox.co.uk) is perfect for those who prefer a more contemporary or minimal Scandi Christmas.
‘With a wooden hanger and warm winter lights, it will create a striking feature in your living space as an alternative to the traditional tree, but with the same magic.’