As the Christmas season rapidly approaches, there’s one thing that every home needs – the tree!  There’s a multitude of trees available on the market, so we’ve put together a buyer's guide to help you get the tree of your dreams.

Get the Measurements Right!

One of the first things that you’ll need to do when buying a Christmas tree is to know what size to get.  To do this, you’ll need to know where your Christmas tree will go, and if it is a full sized tree that is placed on the floor or if it is a smaller tree that can be placed on a low table or similar.  Measure the area in width and depth, and don’t forget about the height.  A tall Christmas tree is lovely but you want to be able to reach to decorate the tree, and more importantly, you want enough room to be able to put the angel or star on top!  Once you have your measurements, you know what size trees to look for and what sizes to avoid.

What Type of Tree Do You Want?

The next thing that you have to consider is what type of tree you want. You have two major choices – real or artificial.  There is nothing like a real Christmas tree to provide true authenticity to your festive season but you’ll need to keep it well watered.  Dropping needles or leaves can also be a consideration as can the cost.  If you go the real route, you’ll have to buy and dispose of a new tree every year.  Artificial Christmas trees tend to be the more popular option in Australia as they are cost effective and you can use them year after year. Just pack them up and store them away in between seasons!  Artificial Christmas trees are becoming more and more authentic and in many cases, they can look just as good as the real thing, especially when they are laden in decorations and with the presents underneath.

What Colour Tree Do You Want?

If you are going for a real Christmas tree, the colour won’t really be a consideration as they only come in one colour – green!  However, if you are going for an artificial tree, the range of colours opens up widely.  You can get trees in varying shades of greens (to imitate different spruces and pines), in black, in white, and even in more out there colours such as purple, pink and blue.  Another option is to buy a fibre optic Christmas tree which, when plugged in, shines lights out from the ends of the fronds. The lights can be white or coloured.

What is Your Budget?

Of course, you’ll want to keep your budget in mind when you are choosing your Christmas tree! Think about how long you plan to keep the tree and also the quality of the tree when you are setting how much you are willing to pay.  Real trees can be expensive but they are worth it when you consider the joyful spirit that they bring to your home.  Artificial trees range in prices from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars.  As they get more expensive, the artificial trees tend to look more real and be made from higher quality materials.  The more you spend on an artificial tree, the more likely you’ll have it for many Christmases to come!