How to get the best artificial Christmas tree

Christmas trees play a huge part in our favourite festive traditions. As a nation we love to decorate, open gifts, and celebrate with friends and family around the tree. It’s important to have a Christmas tree that suits your style, home and lasts year after year.

Here at Gates Garden Centre, we are well known for our Christmas displays and themed décor. Christmas is our favourite time of year; everybody gets excited and from October we like to fill our showroom with 14,000 sq. ft of enchanting displays. So if you’re searching for the best artificial Christmas tree, we have got you covered.

Our extensive range of artificial Christmas trees are top-quality from leading brands such as Premier Decorations, Everlands and The National Tree Company.

What size and shape of artificial Christmas tree should I get?

We have many types of artificial trees, in a variety of realistic shapes and sizes to suit all styles and room sizes.
First, consider where you would like the Christmas tree to be positioned within the home? This will help narrow down your options for choosing the best artificial Christmas tree.

A general rule of thumb is to have at least 6 inches between the top of your tree and the ceiling. This also accounts for a tree topper or any decorative stand that adds height to the tree.

A tree’s shape gives you an idea of how much space it takes up. Our most popular shape is a regular tree, which is a classic full shaped Christmas tree resembling the profile of a natural pine tree. If your chosen space is narrow or you want a space-saving option, we have a wide selection of slim trees which are great for tight corners, narrow hallways or compact studio apartments.

The majority of our artificial Christmas tree styles come in a range of heights. We sell miniature trees under 5 feet which are ideal for tabletops, bedrooms, kid’s rooms, and small spaces. Christmas trees around 5ft – 5.5ft are designed for smaller living areas. 6ft to 7.5ft trees are popular for homes with standard ceiling heights. We do offer larger artificial trees from 8ft to 10ft for rooms with high ceilings or for grand homes, business functions and festive events.

How realistic will an artificial Christmas tree look?

Many of our artificial Christmas trees look incredibly realistic and use Real-Needle Technology/Feel-Real Tip Technology to shape the tree branches so that they look exactly like their real-life counterparts. The introduction of PE and PVC mixed needles make the branches crush-resistant, keeping them looking like new for longer as well as making the tree look incredibly life-like. Giving you a dense and realistic Christmas tree perfect for decorating.

An alternative Christmas tree style, if you don’t mind embracing the fact that the tree is not real, our range of snowy artificial trees allows you to bring the full winter wonderland experience into your home.

If you want to use an artificial tree outdoors, we have a selection of Christmas trees which are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. We would always recommend reading the label to ensure the tree is appropriate for outdoor use first.

A Christmas tree doesn’t have to be traditional in style, if you want the tree to fit with your modern home interior, something more contemporary or minimal in style would work. We do have a beautiful selection of LED Blossom trees and Fibre optic trees in a range of sizes to suit a modern interior.

Should I choose a pre-lit Christmas tree?

Pre-lit Christmas trees are simply trees that already have lights on. The beauty of buying a tree with the lights already on is firstly the saving, as there’s no need to buy extra lights. Secondly, you don’t need to worry about where to position lights, this is a real bonus. As the lights are already evenly distributed throughout the whole tree, it saves you the job of fiddling about and potentially getting in a tangle over the perfect arrangement.

Never underestimate the importance of Christmas lights on a tree, as they can bring your whole decorating scheme together, drawing attention to well-placed Christmas decorations and adding sparkle in all the right places. And don’t forget to choose the right location, near a plug or mains electric point to make it easier to switch on or off.

However, if your Christmas tradition is to get the family involved in decorating the tree, we do sell a range of un-lit Christmas trees in various styles and sizes. If you have an un-lit Christmas tree, we have a wide range of Christmas lights from cool to warm white LED lights and a selection of multi-coloured LED lights to add some vibrant colour.

How do I make my artificial Christmas tree smell like a real tree?

If you love the scent of a real Christmas tree, and you are worried getting a fake Christmas tree won’t be the same, fear not. You can mimic the same smell of a real tree with Scentsicles. These magical sticks are soaked in fragrances of fruit and spicy cinnamon, pine, or Balm Fir, which cleverly hang from the tree branches. Filling your home with the glorious scent of Christmas.

What’s the best way to store an artificial Christmas tree to keep it looking good?

The best way to store an artificial Christmas tree is in its original box, this will help you reduce waste and reuse packaging. However, if you have larger storage boxes or containers these are also ideal, to make access easier. Just remember when you are dismantling a tree after the festive period, to keep the branches flat, and it should last you for years to come. Store in a cool, dry space to preserve the condition and prevent any damage.

Now that you have decided on what type and size of artificial Christmas tree is right for your home this festive season, you can shop the full collection online.