You grew up with real Christmas trees. Every year, your parents would take you and your brother to a local tree farm, where you would traipse all over looking for just the right tree and haul it home on top of the car. Oh, how you loved the smell of that tree. The mess, on the other hand, you could have done without, which may explain why you’re making the leap this year to an artificial tree.

While freshly cut Christmas trees are lovely, they require diligent care to keep them looking good, more than you have time for. You’re going to make things easier on yourself this year by purchasing an artificial Christmas tree. Here are the features you should focus on.

Color

Artificial Christmas trees come in all colors from the traditional green to hot pink and silver to retro white. Holiday ornaments look nice on green trees, but will really pop on white or some other cool color. The color of the tree you select should suit your overall style, as you will be using it year after year.

Construction

Most businesses will have samples of the artificial Christmas trees they sell on display. Take the time to check these out and how they are constructed. While some trees come in all one piece and collapse, others have individual branches that must be slipped into place one by one. Either way, you will have to fluff up the needles on the branches. Needles may be made of PE, PVC or a combination of the two. PE needles resemble real tree needles in shape and texture, while PVC needles are flatter and softer and often used on combination trees to fill in space on the inner branches. The best trees have a solid base and trunk and full branches with high-quality needles. They are also fireproof.

Lighting

Some artificial trees come with lighting. While convenient, this can be problematic should a light bulb burn out. The rest of the lights on the tree may not work until the bulb is replaced. Should you want a tree with lighting, you will find ones with white lights or colored lights in various types from LED to fiber optic.

Size

Bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to an artificial Christmas tree. You cannot shape an artificial tree by cutting it, so you must purchase one that will fit the space you intend for it. Measure the space, adding six inches on the top for a tree topper, and bring the dimensions and a tape measure with you on every shopping trip. Appearances can be deceiving. What looks small in a large store with high ceilings might not be so small at home.

Storage

As you consider size, consider where you are going to store the tree, in your large basement or in a tiny hall closet. The bigger the tree, the more storage space you will need for it. Depending upon the space you have available, you may be able to leave the tree intact and store it upright with a cover over it. This could save you substantial time in setting it up each year and may reduce some of the wear and tear on branches.

There are hundreds of artificial trees available to suit a variety of budgets. Buy the best you can afford, and it should last for 10 years or more.

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