Spruce Up Your Season: Quick Tips for Picking the Perfect Christmas Tree

Nov 22nd 2023

In many homes, it isn’t Christmas until the tree is decorated. Every family has its own tree trimming traditions, from choosing which day the Christmas tree goes up to where it’s placed and how it’s decorated.

Of course, the Christmas tree you choose is essential to the decorating process. You may own an artificial Christmas tree or take the family to a Christmas tree farm to pick out a fresh tree each year. Either way, your purchase represents an investment in your holiday celebration. Therefore, it’s helpful to keep a few details in mind while Christmas tree shopping to be sure you’re satisfied with your purchase.

How to Pick a Christmas Tree

There are a few things you want to consider before you buy a tree, including the space you have to work with and the style tree you like.

Parent and child admiring their lit Christmas tree

Find the Right Spot for Your Tree

Christmas trees can take up a lot of room in the home. Since your tree may be up for several weeks, plan where it will stand. Common locations for a Christmas tree include a living room or family room, in front of a window or in a corner. In addition, some families put up a second tree in a foyer or a child’s bedroom.

Ideally, the location should be someplace where you can view your tree often without it being in the way. Avoid placing your tree in a high traffic area, where you’ll have to swerve around it or where you might brush against it often.

Once you find a spot for the tree, take a minute to examine the area. How large is the space? How high is your ceiling? Consider rearranging your furniture slightly, so there’s room to admire your Christmas tree from as many angles as possible.

Also, make sure there's an electrical outlet nearby so you can plug in your Christmas tree lights.

Measure Your Space

As a rule of thumb, you should leave enough space around the tree to keep branches from touching walls or furniture. Measure the depth and width of your tree display area and refer to those measurements when you’re picking out your tree.

To find the perfect height for your Christmas tree, measure the height of your room from floor to ceiling. Then, subtract nine to 16 inches to accommodate your tree topper. The listed height of an artificial tree includes the base, but if you buy a live Christmas tree, subtract another few inches for the Christmas tree stand. As an example, a 7-½ to 8 foot tall Christmas tree is a common choice for homes with 10 foot ceilings.

Artificial Christmas trees are available in a variety of heights and widths, including slim, medium and full profiles. This makes it easy to buy a beautiful tree that’s well proportioned to your space.

Fresh trees may not have as much variation in profile and their dimensions can be deceptive when viewed in a greenhouse or field. Know the size of your space and bring along a tape measure to check your selection before making a pricey and irreversible purchase.

man putting a fresh cut Christmas tree onto the back of a pickup truck

Consider Tree Species and Style

Live or artificial, not all Christmas trees look the same. The species of fresh trees offered for Christmas vary by geographic location. However, as you search you’ll notice trees with short needles and longer needles, spiky needles and feathery needles. Some trees are thick and bushy while others have a more open structure.

Faux Christmas tree styles also vary. Materials used in artificial Christmas tree construction include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE). Typically, artificial trees made of PVC are less expensive. For a more realistic artificial Christmas tree, look for a mix of classic PVC branches and molded PE branches.

Artificial Christmas trees may add pinecones or flocking and many come pre-lit. You can even find Christmas trees in different colors, trees with fiber optic lighting and snowing Christmas trees!

Final Steps Before Decorating

If you bought an artificial Christmas tree, there’s one more step before trimming. You need to fluff your Christmas tree! Christmas trees that are new out of the box or that have been in storage for a year can appear flat and misshapen.

To shape your Christmas tree, secure the bottom section of the tree in its stand. Then, bend and gently tug branches upward and outward to create full, lush foliage forming a beautiful Christmas tree shape. Repeat with the remaining tree sections.

Finally, if you have small children or animals, consider ways to pet-proof your Christmas tree.

Get Ready to Decorate!

Picking a Christmas tree can be an emotional decision complicated by high holiday expectations, seasonal nostalgia, differing family opinions and logistical considerations.

We can’t settle your family debate over colorful vs. white lights or artificial trees vs. fresh. However, we hope this advice on selecting a Christmas tree helps ensure that the tree you choose takes its rightful place as the glorious centerpiece of your Christmas celebration.

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