Collection: Christmas - Trees

Real Christmas trees:
• Low carbon footprint
• Can be recycled as green waste
• Needles can drop increasing mess
• Unique Christmassy smell and feel

Artificial trees:
• More affordable in the long term

• Can be stored for use year after year
• No needle drop
• bugs or insects
• pre-lit to save you even more money

The trouble with real Christmas trees is they won’t last forever. You need to time it right, look after it well and buy the right kind to. The average life of a cut christmas tree is around 4 weeks so most people head off an buy their tree in the first weekend of December.

For Norway spruces, waiting until you’ve started opening your advent calendar to buy one, but Nordmann Firs may survive longer, so late November should be fine.

Some buying tips:

• Check the needles on the outer limbs don’t drop when shaken
• Always buy fresh cut if you can
• Those with dry and dull branches and needles
• Stroke the branches from trunk to tip, nothing should fall off
• If the needles are bendy and don’t snap, it’s good to go
• For heavier trees, they retain more water and may last longer

If you have a real fir or spruce, then setting up and deciding where you place your tree is quite important.

Prep for a real tree:
First shake the tree and tap the trunk on the floor to remove any loose foliage and insects. Next, place your tree into a stand – avoid sand and soil, you only need water in there. And remember to water it every day.

Artificial trees need much less care, but the general placing rules stay the same for both:
1. Avoid warm or heated places such as radiators and fires – it can dry out your real tree and artificial trees can be flammable.
2. Don’t cover windows or block natural light sources.
3. Clear of your homes natural walk spaces to avoid dropped needles and baubles
4. Place it somewhere it will catch eyes from multiple angles.
5. Stay close to a plug or electrical outlet for your lights