Christmas

How To Choose The Best Real Christmas Tree

If you’re ready to pick the perfect real Christmas tree for your home this year, we’ve got a veritable forest of firs on offer – from pine scented Spruces to family-friendly firs. Before you buy your Christmas tree, you need to make sure you find the one that’s best for you.

To help, we’ve created this handy guide to real Christmas trees.

Real Christmas trees from Homebase

At Homebase, we’re incredibly proud of the quality of our real Christmas trees, all grown right here in the UK and Ireland for up to 12 years. They’ve been lovingly nurtured for us by our growers – from seed to your local store.

If you’re buying a real tree, you’ll need to think about its size, shape and scent. Does it hold its needles well? Is it strong enough for heavy baubles? Is it suitable for young children? Find out all this and more with our in-depth breakdown of Homebase’s most popular traditional tree varieties.

Why choose a real Christmas tree?

With almost 8 million sold across the UK every year, we’ve got many excellent reasons why you should choose a real Christmas tree over an artificial tree:

  • Timeless and traditional
  • The soft, aromatic smell of pine
  • Eco-friendly – a fully bio-degradable choice, Christmas tree farms are undisturbed for most of their 8-12 year growing cycle, meaning they’re great for wildlife too
  • Our “green trees” are just that – it would take 10 years of using an artificial tree from new for it to be as eco-friendly as a real tree
  • Fun for all the family – “choosing the tree” is a classic family activity
  • Farmer-friendly – firs and spruces are specially grown on otherwise wasted land
  • Job-creation – Christmas tree care brings jobs into often remote rural areas
  • Clean air – 1 acre of trees removes over 500 pounds of carbon dioxide every year
  • All sizes and shapes – we have trees in a range of heights to make sure we’ve got the size you need to perfectly fit your home

Before buying a real Christmas tree

Before you go out and buy your Christmas tree, we recommend that you think about the following:

  • Room: While you’re at home, measure the height and space of the room your tree is going in. Don’t forget to think about the height of the tree when it’s placed in a stand as well.
  • Stand: Make sure the trunk of the tree you choose fits in the tree stand you have. Most tree bases are adjustable so you can ensure your tree is snug and stable.
  • Foliage: All of our real Christmas trees are grown from seed and are unique. When looking for a tree make sure you choose one with foliage and a shape that you love.

 

It’s always best to check out your real Christmas tree before it’s been netted. If that’s not possible, try and find the most recently cut one you can.

Top tip: Need a new tree stand? We’ve got a wide range to keep your tree safely secured – as well as all the Christmas tree lights and baubles you could want too.

How are you getting it home?

Once your tree has been netted, it’s time to take it home. Start by folding the back seats of your vehicle down and sliding your tree through from the boot, point first. If it still won’t fit, your best option is to secure your Christmas tree to the roof with rope or bungee cords – just make sure you tie it tightly.

When should I buy my real Christmas tree?

If you really want the best tree this Christmas, our message is simple – buy early!

Many people hold out until the last minute to buy their tree, but buying early means you get the freshest choice. This is because Christmas trees across the country are cut in November before waiting in the field to be bought.

So, if you want the greenest tree, you should pick yours out early.

Worried about where to store your real Christmas tree until the big day? If you don’t have the space indoors, just pop it in a bucket of water outdoors to keep it fresh until you’re ready to bring it inside.

Types of real Christmas trees

When it comes to real trees, we’ve got a variety to choose from.

1. Norway Spruce Trees

Despite its name, the Norway Spruce is grown throughout Britain, and is often considered to be the most traditional Christmas tree. With regular pruning and shearing by our expert growers, expect a bushy, classically shaped tree, packed with short green needles and a lovely pine scent. It’ll stay nice and fresh throughout Christmas if you keep it topped up with water.

  • Attractive pine scent
  • Requires regular and thorough watering
  • Height range of living (pot grown) trees: 60cm – 140cm/2ft – 4.5ft
  • Height range of cut trees: 150cm – 270cm/5ft – 9ft

2. Nordman Fir Trees

With a well-balanced ‘A’ shape and strong branches covered with needles, the Nordman Fir is by far the UK’s most popular real Christmas trees. With soft foliage and good needle retention, the well-spaced, glossy branches of the Nordman Fir are ideal for little ones to decorate.

  • Dense and glossy olive-coloured foliage
  • Excellent for displaying large baubles
  • Soft, waxy, family friendly needles
  • Great needle retention all Christmas long
  • Height range of cut trees: 120cm – 300cm/4ft – 10ft
  • Height range of living (pot grown) trees: 60cm – 120cm/2ft – 4ft

3. Blue Spruce

A real trend-setter in Europe, the Blue Spruce mixes a good width with a beautiful blue and silver tint. This is caused by the resin it produces to protect its needles. A stunning addition to any home, families with small children should still be careful, as its needles are the prickliest of all of our real Christmas trees.

  • Nice wide shape
  • Eye-catching blue/silver foliage
  • Prickly needles
  • Height range of living (pot grown) trees: 40cm – 120cm/1.5ft – 4ft

Other considerations for a real Christmas tree

How long does a real Christmas tree last?

If they’re looked after and regularly watered, a real Christmas tree should usually last for four to six weeks. Something as simple as positioning your tree away from the radiator will keep it looking its best for longer. Check out our guide on Christmas tree care for more tips.

When should I put up my Christmas tree?

Decades ago, Christmas trees were traditionally put up on Christmas Eve, but why miss out on enjoying it for longer? These days, there are no real rules, so you can put yours up any time from December 1st.

When should I take down a Christmas tree?

Once Christmas Day has been and gone, the debate often starts about when to take down the cards, decorations and, most importantly, the tree. Historically, Twelfth Night is meant to mark the official end of Christmas. It falls on either the 5th or 6th of January, depending on which tradition you choose.

That means you can still enjoy your sparkly Christmas decorations for a few weeks once the big day is over. After this point, many people believe it’s bad luck to keep your decorations up. Some also feel it’s bad luck to have decorations up after New Years Eve, but it’s a matter of personal preference.

Cut or pot-grown Christmas tree?

Whether you opt for Nordman Fir or a Spruce, our real Christmas trees come both cut and pot-grown. The best fit for you depends on where you’re keeping it. Cut trees come in larger sizes, so they’ll look great in a living room, dining room or hallway. Pot-grown trees, meanwhile, are ideal for outside. You can place them in your front garden, porch or even on a balcony as a festive welcome for family and friends.

Pot-grown trees also don’t need a tree stand or tree skirt, so they’re easier to move around . What’s more, they’ll stay fresh long after the festivities are over. In fact, if well-watered, you’ll even be able to display it next Christmas. Alternatively, pot-grown trees are perfect for planting in your garden to add a touch of evergreen colour.

Depending on how much space you have available, you might not have to choose. Why not treat yourself to both cut and pot-grown trees to bring festive cheer both inside and outside your home?

While you’re at it, spread a little more festive greenery throughout your home with the addition of a Christmassy garland wrapped around the staircase and a wreath on the door to welcome guests.

How to care for a real Christmas tree

By caring for a real Christmas tree, you can ensure it stays healthy over the Christmas season. The first step is ensuring you choose a healthy tree with strong needles and a vibrant colour. Once you get it home, be sure to:

  • Trim the trunk – Sawing around half an inch off the trunk will remove any hardened sap and help the tree absorb water.
  • Water the tree – Your tree will need plenty to drink over the Christmas Your stand should have enough space to keep your tree always standing in water. This might sound easy, but you’ll need to be careful, as some real Christmas trees can drink several pints of water a day.
  • Keep it out of the heat – Do not keep your tree too close to the radiator, as too much heat or temperature fluctuations could cause it to quickly dry out.

Check out our guide on Christmas tree care for more tips.

What type of tree is a Christmas tree?

A real Christmas tree is usually an evergreen, coniferous tree. Common examples include firs, spruces, or pines. Exactly what type of tree gets chosen as a Christmas tree can vary depending on the region, as well as preferences for factors like fragrance, colouring and needle retention.

Whatever kind of Christmas tree you’re looking for, you can find your ideal choice with Homebase.

We hope this guide has helped you to choose your perfect real Christmas tree. If you need more festive inspiration or advice – check out our dedicated Christmas Ideas & Advice hub today.



Homebase

Homebase

Writer and expert