Mastering the Art of Choosing Your Ideal Artificial Tree: 4 Essential Tips

Embark on a journey of choosing your ideal artificial tree with these expert tips, transforming your space into a holiday haven.

Since the Christmas tree is usually the center of your home’s holiday décor it’s a good idea to have a checklist of things to consider before looking at artificial trees and picking the one that’s perfect for you, your family, and your home.

Jump to:

• Space - this one is a biggie!
• Lights – Pre-lit, yes or no?
• Flocked or not flocked? Traditional green or a bold color choice?
• 4. Shape

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Space - this one is a biggie!

When I purchased my first artificial tree as a new homeowner I totally misjudged how much room I had. The tree was HUGE and beautiful, but it jutted out into my living room and when I say jutted out, I mean there was barely enough room to get past it when going in to the dining room.

When I purchased my next tree I was a bit wiser.  I measured exactly how much space I had so I knew the widest any tree could be so that it would fit into the room without overwhelming it.  That first tree was also too tall and I had to bend the tip down just to stop it from hitting the ceiling. The tip of the tree you ultimately choose should be 6 inches from the ceiling allowing room to add a tree topper and to prevent ceiling scraping.

Lesson learned…MEASURE first.

Lights – Pre-lit, yes or no?

There are so many beautiful pre-lit trees to choose from and, in my opinion, it is a much better alternative to stringing the lights on yourself. One less thing to do and if you decide you want more lights, go ahead and add them to your pre-lit tree. The more the merrier.

Another consideration for the pre-lit option, white or colored lights. In some cases, you can get a tree with both

Flocked or not flocked? Traditional green or a bold color choice?

This year, I chose a beautiful flocked tree and I am in love with it. Every time I look at it, it makes me think of a fresh blanket of snow and gets me excited for Christmas Day.

Other than a traditional green artificial Christmas tree you can also choose a tree in white, gold, red, and on and on! I’ve never had a large colored tree but when I was a teenager, I did have a small gold tinsel Christmas tree in my room.

Next….

4. Shape

There are a lot of tree shapes to choose from and here are a few:

Full trees – these trees are going to be the chubbiest and have the most branches. Think if Santa were an artificial Christmas tree…this is what he would be shaped like.

Narrow trees – these trees take up less space but still have a beautiful shape and lots of branches.

Slim trees – slim tree have a much smaller footprint than full or narrow trees and remind me of a fresh tree that’s all tied up and ready to slap on to the roof of your car to bring it home. Slim artificial Christmas trees are great for small spaces but still have a lot of impact.

Flat back trees – to me, this is GENIUS! You get all of the plump and height you want but you can place this tree flat up against a wall. Seriously, how smart is that?

Sparse trees – sparse trees don’t have all the fluff and puff of other trees but are no less pretty. These artificial Christmas trees have few branches but still look realistic and have a beauty all their own.

Safety First: Opt for pre-lit artificial trees that have been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). This ensures they meet safety standards. Verify their UL certification by searching the UL database or by checking for the UL logo on the product packaging.

These are the basic steps to take when picking an artificial tree. If you have any tips to add, leave a comment below!