How to choose a Christmas tree

Choosing your perfect Christmas tree can be quite a big decision. Like most household purchases if you want a long lasting, quality product be prepared to do your homework, here are a few tips:

• Try to view the tree up close and in store. It’s really hard to get a sense of scale from an online photograph and Christmas trees are notoriously  difficult to photograph. Also, if you visit the store in person experienced staff can really help with decision making and maybe give you a discount!

• Be prepared before you go and take a tape measure, also a few photos of your interior carried on your phone can be helpful.  Ask yourself these questions, where will my tree be placed? what is the room ceiling height? what floor space do I have available?

• Do you want a “hook tree”, a “hinge tree” or a “pre-lit” tree. A hook tree is one where individual branches need to be attached, yes, more work but these varieties often look more appealing as they are denser. The branches of a hinge tree are already attached to the pole and “fold down”. these trees can look a little sparse but with only a couple of sections to assemble are quick and easy. A pre-lit tree is exactly that, but for the best quality be prepared to pay.

• Like any product consider what size box the Christmas tree comes in, ie. how do we get it home and will it fit in the car!  Also, future storage plans, do you need to purchase a tree bag or can the box be stored (preferably somewhere dry and away from extremes of temperature).

• Finally, does the tree have a guarantee? and what are the store policies in regard to returns.

These days we’re all price conscious but sometimes it’s important to consider how, where and by whom our products are made. Here’s a look inside the Christmas tree factory.

In this age of automation the making of a Christmas tree remains essentially a handcrafted process. Behind the scenes an army of workers operate machinery and finish trees by hand. Each branch starts life as a roll of plastic ribbon which is shredded and spun into a length of tinsel.

Up to 20 stages can follow in this labour intensive process. To see this process unfold is a real eye opener and gives you a new appreciation of what it takes to create a single Christmas tree.