Advice on artificial Christmas trees

[MrsPete]

I love-love-love Christmas trees, but I'm getting tired of the effort required by our BIG tree. It's time to replace our tree anyway, and I'm thinking I'd like to change things up:

- I'm thinking of one tall-skinny tree for the family room
- And several small -- thinking 2 1/2 - 3' -- trees to be scattered around the house. I'm hoping to be able to "wrap these" in a sheet and put them away fully decorated. I expect I could just pick up a tree this size and carry it away.

Can anyone give me any advice on purchasing a small tree? Anything different from the larger trees I've owned before?
How about decorating? Will the ornaments I've been using still work?
Any advice on where to place them? I'm thinking on a table is appropriate.
Thanks for any advice you might be able to share on this topic.

 

[shaggyrogersmademedoit]

I love-love-love Christmas trees, but I'm getting tired of the effort required by our BIG tree. It's time to replace our tree anyway, and I'm thinking I'd like to change things up:

- I'm thinking of one tall-skinny tree for the family room
- And several small -- thinking 2 1/2 - 3' -- trees to be scattered around the house. I'm hoping to be able to "wrap these" in a sheet and put them away fully decorated. I expect I could just pick up a tree this size and carry it away.

Can anyone give me any advice on purchasing a small tree? Anything different from the larger trees I've owned before?
How about decorating? Will the ornaments I've been using still work?
Any advice on where to place them? I'm thinking on a table is appropriate.
Thanks for any advice you might be able to share on this topic.

If you are going to be purchasing smaller trees, you might find that you want to buy some smaller decorations to go with them. Sometimes bigger baubles can overwhelm a small tree, and it just doesn't look right. You can buy mini baubles cheaply in places like Poundland in the UK (or overseas equivalents e.g. Walmart) at the right time of year, and shorter tinsel will be a must for your new smaller trees because otherwise you'll find that you're drowning the tree in tinsel or you have excess at the end. Alternatively you can cut your longer tinsel in half and use it for two trees - save a bit of money by recycling it!
Another thing I'll mention is that if you are wanting to keep the decorations on the trees when you put them away, you can actually buy small artificial trees that have the decorations permanently in place, so if this was a priority factor then maybe you'd want to consider several of those instead?
Final thing to add, tables will be ideal for displaying the little trees, but be mindful of putting them on coffee tables that you use for your drinks because all it takes is one little bump on the tree by accident and it can knock your drink over (been there before!!). A mantel piece, fire place or windowsill would also make a good display area, that is less likely to be knocked over.

 

[SteveH]

@MrsPete we have two artificial trees. I will say from our experience don't buy the Pre-Lit ones, IMHO they are not worth it and honestly the lights just don't last. Our older tree dissembles each branch off the stem and it a box. Takes a while to setup but looks good. our other tree the branches tilts up and the bag slides up and keeps it dust free. Easier but takes a while to get it looking right. It is about 6' and narrow and well humm looks like a male appendage - this will probably be the last year as it just doesn't appeal to us. We plan to look around and buy off season. We lucked out finding it from a friend getting rid of it, it was around and $800 tree that we paid about $50 so we've gotten our money out of it for sure. So we'll toss it up on CraigsList or Marketplace after Chrismas if not hold on to it and sell it next October.

 

[Christine]

So, with COVID, my living room (where I put the tree) became my office. I don't have room for a full size tree anymore and my kids have moved out so I really didn't need "all that."

Last year I bought a 7 foot skinny flocked tree that fits nicely in the corner of my family room and I LOVE IT. It wasn't expensive but the flocking helps make it look so much nicer than it probably is. I get a lot of compliments on it.

I did have to buy new decorations because I have a lot of large decorations that just don't work on this tree. I went to Michaels and Walmart and bought some tubs of small shiny things in black, red, silver, and gold, got some black checked ribbon, and it looks great. I did have some smaller ornaments from the "big" tree that I was able to use on it which gives it a more personal look for me.

 

[disykat]

I downsized to a skinnier five foot from a regular nine foot. I love it and didn't have to change decorations, I just use less of them. I thought I needed tall because we have tall ceilings, but I was wrong

 

[neverlandsky]

We just downsized from a skinny 7'5" tree to this 4'5" aspen tree.
We love it. By far our favorite tree we've ever had. We added 300 multicolored lights to the already 250 prelit white lights it has. It's holding our same ornaments we've had for years and years. We have the tree on the floor like a normal tree. Youngest loves it because it's shorter than them.

As far a mini trees, we have just one white ceramic retro light up tree that's on the entertainment center. Thinking about getting those night light ceramic trees/christmas night lights for other room (kitchen, baths, etc.) plugs to keep things small, yet still festive.

 

[720L]

Like a previous poster said, don't buy pre-lit. Mine lit up for 2 years, then slowly stopped working. Now I've had it 5 years and not one string works. I tried buying a light string fixer tool, it didn't work. So now I have to string working lights over the non working lights, it makes it difficult taking the lights off the tree. This one is a skinny 8 foot tree. My next tree will be small, I'm sick of all the work.

 

[wenrob]

I agree with the PP who said you’ll want smaller ornaments for table top trees. You can get the little tubes of them at Michael’s. Here is a photo for scale. That star on top is a regular sized ornament.

 

[MrsPete]

Thanks so much for all the information! Big points that I think really help me:

- I'm glad to see that I'm on the right track. As someone else said, I'm just kinda "over" the work of putting it up /taking it down.
- Like a poster above, I'm kinda thinking 4 1/2' might be the ideal size. I want to see one that size in person, so I'd better get out to the stores while it's possible.
- Love what one poster said about adding 300 colored lights to a tree that's already pre-lit with 250 clear lights. I love-love-love a well-lit tree, and I'm glad to know that's "the right ratio" for a 4 1/2' tree.
- I'm thinking that I will go through my existing ornaments and see how many small ornaments I already own. In that picture above (love that tree), I think I counted about 24 ball ornaments? So that must be a good number for, well, what is that tree? Maybe 2'?
- What about toppers for a small tree? Any hints on who sells them?
- I hear you loud and clear on the pre-lit trees. It occurs to me that I like really nice lights ... and with a small tree, I can afford the nice ones 'cause I don't need a dozen sets.
- I like the idea of putting a small tree on a table top, but -- as an above poster says -- not a coffee table. Only a table against a wall.

 

[Earstou]

Hurry, because supplies are dwindling! I've been looking for a slim tree. Bought one, hate it, but can't find another one I like, because most are gone now. Hobby Lobby here is down to a few trees, and they usually have lots of them. They also (in the past anyway, have not looked this year)
have had tree toppers and ornaments for smaller trees, but they might be for the really small trees (maybe one foot tall).

 

[MrsPete]

and they usually have lots of them.

Trees aside, I think stores are buying less holiday stuff than they did in the past. I say this because I don't see nearly as much after-holiday clearance stuff these days.

 

[Earstou]

Trees aside, I think stores are buying less holiday stuff than they did in the past. I say this because I don't see nearly as much after-holiday clearance stuff these days.

I think it's been less for quite a few years now. I've seen the decline in clearance, too.

Hobby Lobby had two sides of an aisle filled with trees when I bought mine. It's now down to a few at the end of the aisle.

 

[wenrob]

Thanks so much for all the information! Big points that I think really help me:

- I'm glad to see that I'm on the right track. As someone else said, I'm just kinda "over" the work of putting it up /taking it down.
- Like a poster above, I'm kinda thinking 4 1/2' might be the ideal size. I want to see one that size in person, so I'd better get out to the stores while it's possible.
- Love what one poster said about adding 300 colored lights to a tree that's already pre-lit with 250 clear lights. I love-love-love a well-lit tree, and I'm glad to know that's "the right ratio" for a 4 1/2' tree.
- I'm thinking that I will go through my existing ornaments and see how many small ornaments I already own. In that picture above (love that tree), I think I counted about 24 ball ornaments? So that must be a good number for, well, what is that tree? Maybe 2'?
- What about toppers for a small tree? Any hints on who sells them?
- I hear you loud and clear on the pre-lit trees. It occurs to me that I like really nice lights ... and with a small tree, I can afford the nice ones 'cause I don't need a dozen sets.
- I like the idea of putting a small tree on a table top, but -- as an above poster says -- not a coffee table. Only a table against a wall.

Yes, 2ft. It’s 14 ornaments.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Trees aside, I think stores are buying less holiday stuff than they did in the past. I say this because I don't see nearly as much after-holiday clearance stuff these days.

My DS works at Lowe's, and he said they got one Christmas shipment in at the end of October, and that's it!

 

[Orion Nebula]

All I know is that I am buying a new tree next year and avoiding pre-lit. I have owned several now, and they were not "budget" ones. But I always eventually have issues with the lights. Both incandescent and LED. This year I ended up having to string extra lights on mine because some area's were dim and some completely out.

 

[focusondisney]

At 10 days before Christmas, I think you’ve missed the chance at comparison shopping. If you’re planning to buy for this year, you won’t have much selection to choose from. For best selection, you have to shop before Thanksgiving.

Not a great picture, but I got this pre lit, battery operated tree at from QVC in 2019. I have it sitting on a TV try I covered with a folded table cloth. The tree is 3 feet from table to the topper, about 28 inches from bottom branches to top branch. For context, that’s a 65” tv next to it. The tree came with the red bow, understand I had no idea what I was doing with that, lol. I already had the small glass spun heart ornaments & very small gold bells. I found a mini tree skirt & a set of mini tree ornaments at our local Christmas store. The ornament set included the tree topper & the red & gold ornaments. The ornaments are about an inch in length. I don’t think regular full size ornaments would look good & you might not even find branches to hang them on. We are old & still do tinsel, so I added some gold tinsel.

We have it in our family room & still have our full 6.5 foot tree in our living room. So it isn’t our “Christmas tree”, but adds a nice atmosphere to the family room. This tree has a timer, has options for steady on or twinkling & runs on 3 D batteries. The branches compress up & we store it right back in the box it came it. It does need some fussing to refluff when i take it out. I think it would store very nicely decorated with even a super large trash bag over it.

 

[MrsPete]

At 10 days before Christmas, I think you’ve missed the chance at comparison shopping. If you’re planning to buy for this year, you won’t have much selection to choose from. For best selection, you have to shop before Thanksgiving.

Actually, and I don't think I said this earlier, we're not putting up a tree this year -- we have some other decorations up high, but we have a new puppy, and she is in to EVERYTHING. I'm a little sad about it, but I don't want to see Little Miss Destructive tear it down.

So many things this dog has destroyed already. Good thing for her she's cute.

I appreciate y'all's advice all the same. I've definitely decided to go the direction of several small trees.

 

[Earstou]

MrsPete, I understand about the new pet. I have a cat that likes to destroy things. He eats the bottom branches, destroys garland and downs the stockings if I hang them. All my plants and flower arrangements are fair game to him. But he is such a sweet cat!

 

[MrsPete]

MrsPete, I understand about the new pet. I have a cat that likes to destroy things. He eats the bottom branches, destroys garland and downs the stockings if I hang them. All my plants and flower arrangements are fair game to him. But he is such a sweet cat!

Our puppy is super sweet too -- so cuddly, loving and cute! But she is 100% PUPPY. She nips at us, tears things up, and -- thanks to an immature bladder -- can't sleep through the night. I'm very glad we got her, but I'll also be glad when she grows a little.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Pre lit potted artificial tree that I added additional lights to.
Looks similar to this one https://www.balsamhill.com/p/windsor-potted-spruce-artificial-christmas-tree?sku=2803032