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Is it Time to Replace Your Artificial Christmas Tree?

The holiday countdown has started… It’s time for your annual tree-wrestling match where it’s you vs. the stairs to bring that bad boy down from the attic onto center stage. Maybe you even have more than one tree? Maybe you have dozens! Whether you’re a tree hoarder or just a one-tree kind of girl, this is the time of year when we each have to make the call: will this artificial Christmas tree make it another year or do I need to get a new one?

I can’t tell you how many people (men) I hear saying they’ll wait “until they go on sale at the end of the season.” That’s so funny. Every craft store shopper knows, Christmas trees are on sale NOW and they’ll be totally gone in seconds! But, let’s talk quality for a second. Those craft store trees just aren’t quite up to your standards, are they?

Truth time: My husband thinks Christmas trees should be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Several years ago, we bought a new 9 ft tree with lights. We spent a few hundred on it and that seemed like a LOT at the time, and he’s smug, thinking he’s checked that box for the rest of his days.

Guess what happened the next year? You know it. One whole section of lights went out. Yes, we tried to replace the light – well good luck finding the guilty one. There was a short in that light strand somewhere. Shaking the branches got us through the season. The next year, when we plugged it in, another section was out. At this point, someone (I won’t name names but it wasn’t me) snipped EVERY SINGLE light off the tree. Someone (me) had to go and buy new LEDs and string them on. Oh how I wish we’d known then what we know now about the structure and lighting warranty for the pre-lit Christmas trees at Decorator’s Warehouse.

So fast forward and here we are, in a different house but with the same tree that’s now too tall for the new room. And it’s starting to shed — a lot. But not as bad as the other tree that circulated out of the attic. So many of the “needles” shed off of it, it was nearly bald. You can see straight through it even with ornaments. Do you see where I’m going with this?

How long do artificial Christmas trees last?

When you bought the tree it will have come with a warranty of some kind. But the time that the tree remains usable beyond the guarantee depends on many things from how you stored it to how warm, dry or damp your storage space is. So a better question to ask is…

When should aN artificial Christmas tree be replaced?

Signs that it is time to replace your fake Christmas tree include:

  • it still has regular lights entwined in it. It’s time to join the 21st Century my friend and switch to a pre-lit tree with LEDs. It will save you so much time in the future. You won’t be replacing bulbs or snipping strands like my frugal man.
  • there are more “needles” on the floor than if you’d had a dried-out live tree.   A whole dustpan full of “needles” is not good. Your tree will look scrawny, not to mention the dry needles can be unsafe for lights and pets.
  • you need an MIT scholarship to put the tree together. Yes, all trees need a good fluffing, but if you are so old school that you’re placing branch by branch into the base you are WAY overdue for a new tree. Look for a tree with interlocking pieces that let gravity do the work by simply dropping into place.
  • it is too big or small for your room. You want your tree to be tall enough that it fills the space between your floor and your ceiling WITH a topper, but maybe you’re like us and found yourself in a new house that couldn’t accommodate the 12-foot ceilings we had previously? Good time to get a new tree. Same if you’ve moved to a bigger place and your tree now looks tiny.
  • it looks retro and you are a modern girl. Or vice versa. Hey, tastes change, and Christmas tree styles – and there are MANY – have evolved. You can choose your needles, flocking or no flocking pre-lit, themed, height, width, and so on.  It’s like ordering a Starbucks, all the options you have these days! Changing tastes is a legit reason to pass on that old tree and invest in a new one.

How to choose a Christmas Tree

Well now that you have decided it is time to splurge out on a new tree, I have soooo got your back. I spent a whole afternoon with my good friend Kirsten Black at Decorator’s Warehouse and totally nerded out on Christmas decorating trends and what to look for when you are in the market for a new Christmas tree. Click through to these posts for all the details.

flocked unlit

If it has been a couple of years since you last bought a Christmas tree, the options available to you today are going to blow your mind. You don’t only have a choice between traditional green or flocked white, you also have to consider needle type, color-schemes, whether you want the tree to last all the way through fall, and decide if you want to go with this year’s trends (candy-colors and super-sized ornaments. Click here for  the full run-down of this year’s Christmas Tree trends and buying tips. 

christmas tree decor

Are you a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas decor or are you a trend-setter? Whichever your preference there is something for youThis time we are talking about color trends and decor trends for holiday decorating, especially in reference to Christmas trees. Before we get started though, I’m curious, are you a traditionalist and sticking with the reds and greens or are you more of a trailblazer with pink and teal or other cutting-edge combos? I’m both, depending on what room you’re in!

harvest tree

Is it too early to decorate for Christmas?

It doesn’t matter what time of the year you are reading this, the answer is still gonna be … uh, no. If you want to have a Christmas tree up in March, pop some bunnies, and bonnet decorations and call it an Easter tree. With a little bit of imagination, I’m sure you can have a tree all the way around the year and it won’t look out of place at all.  Just like our Mardi Gras tree

In this chat with Kirsten of Decorator’s Warehouse, we asked her if it was too early to decorate for Christmas. She describes the current trend for starting your tree with fall colours and keeping it right through ill the New Year. 

5 Comments

  1. Thanks so much for your article! I’ve been trying to talk myself into throwing away my 8 foot 20 year old Christmas tree all day. It belonged to my mom and she loved it so was feeling a bit guilty. Poor tree dropped bucket of needles so I know it’s time.

    Reply
    • Awww, I can imagine that is difficult. Maybe you can donate it to a non-profit that she loved? I know in our area, schools, senior centers, etc are often asking for donated trees.

      Reply
  2. Thank you for the confirmation! I was really surprised at all the shedding this year! Time for a new one!

    Reply
  3. Those trees are absolutely gorgeous! I am not a huge fan of pink but my five year may just sway me into the purchase. Thanks for the wonderful tips and discount code.

    Reply
    • You bet! And if you order that pink tree, I want a photo! 😉

      Reply

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