Artificial Christmas trees, 2ft to 7.5ft

Real or artificial Christmas trees

Real trees, cut or potted, are sold by garden centres, tree farms and supermarkets, and none are listed in this collection. An artificial tree goes back in its box each January: kept for ten Christmases, a tree at the middle of the price range here (about £46) costs £4.60 a year.

It drops no pine needles and needs no watering. The cost is storage space for the other eleven months. If you want a real tree after all, you will need a stand with a water reservoir, covered under stands below.

How tall a tree can your room take

Measure from floor to ceiling first. In many modern homes it is about 2.4m (7ft 10in), and older houses are often higher. Allow 30cm for the topper: the tallest tree you can fit is the ceiling height minus 30cm.

The widths come from the manufacturers’ listings for full trees. A 7ft or 7.5ft tree also weighs 7.5 to 14kg, so plan for two people to carry it. A slim 6ft tree is only 45 to 65cm across, and a 5ft pop-up tree 30 to 40cm.

Types of artificial Christmas tree

Pre-lit trees

Pre-lit trees have LEDs wired into the branches, from 130 lights on a 5ft tree to 550 on a 7.5ft one. They save an afternoon of untangling and usually cost more than an unlit tree of the same type. The pre-lit Christmas trees page explains bulb counts, light modes and mains or battery power.

Pop-up trees

Pop-up trees pack down small: a 5ft tinsel model in the listings folds to about 34cm square and 8cm deep and weighs around 1kg. That suits flats, offices and a second tree in a hallway. See the pop-up Christmas trees for lit and unlit versions.

Slim and pencil trees

A slim tree is as tall as a full one at about half the width, so it fits a corner, a hallway or a bay window. It has fewer tips to hang decorations on. The slim and pencil Christmas trees run from 4ft to 7ft in green, white and black.

Small and table top trees

Small trees run from 2ft (60cm) to 4ft (120cm) and stand on a sideboard, desk or shelf. Many are pre-lit and run on batteries or a mains adaptor. The small and table top Christmas trees include twig trees, fibre optic minis and 3ft pre-lit pines.

Christmas tree stands and bases

Most artificial trees come with a folding metal stand. If yours is lost or bent, or you are buying a real tree, the Christmas tree stands list their trunk and height limits and their water capacity. A stand for an artificial tree has to fit the centre pole, while one for a real tree needs a water reservoir and a clamp that fits the trunk.

Reading the specs on a listing

Tip material: PVC or PE

PVC tips are flat and cheaper, and they give the classic bushy look. PE (polyethylene) tips are moulded in 3D and look closer to real branches. Many trees mix the two, with PE on the outer tips. The listings here use PVC, PE or a blend, so read the material line before you assume a realistic finish.

Tip counts

A full 6ft tree in the listings has 550 to 1,200 tips and a full 7ft tree 800 to 1,450. Those are the sellers’ own counts, and brands do not count tips in the same way, so compare them within one height and one material rather than as proof that a tree is fuller.

Branches and sections

Hinged branches are fixed to the pole and fold down for storage, then drop into place when a section is opened, which cuts the assembly time. Hook-in branches are fitted one at a time. Full-size trees come in three or four sections on a central pole with a folding metal stand. Several listings call the tips flame retardant or fire resistant: that is the seller’s wording, so look for a named standard on the product page and keep the tree away from heat in any case.

Colour and finish

About half the trees in this range are plain green. The rest include white or snow-flocked, frosted and two-tone trees, and the pop-up and slim types add silver, purple, black and grey. Flocked trees can shed a little white powder when you unpack them.

Mistakes to avoid when buying a tree

• Choosing on height alone. Width decides whether the tree fits, and a full 7ft tree is 115 to 132cm across.
• Waiting until December to open the box. Put the tree up once as soon as it arrives and check the lights, so a fault can be sorted out in good time.
• Throwing the packaging away. The box keeps the sections together and protects the lights on a pre-lit tree.

Setting up and storing the tree

Put the stand on a level floor, clear of radiators, fires and candles. Fit the sections from the bottom up, then spread every branch tip outwards and upwards, starting from the centre. A tree straight from the box looks thin until it is shaped, and one listing for a 6ft tree suggests allowing around 25 minutes. Add the lights first, then the baubles, then the topper.

Switch any lights off at the socket when you go to bed or leave the house. In January, fold the branches down and pack the sections in the original box or a tree bag, and keep it somewhere dry. Fold pre-lit trees gently so the wiring is not crushed. For a longer comparison by budget and height, read the guide to the best artificial Christmas trees in the UK.