T&T Christmas Tree Recommendations
I was in the market this holiday season for an artificial Christmas tree, so I asked the T&T community for the best artificial tree. As usual, they did not disappoint. Should you have additional recommendations, please feel free to drop me a note. If you would like to bookmark these trees to refer back to later- all but the Costco tree- are linked on LTK here. For more shopping and consignment tips & tricks, be sure to subscribe to the Thrift & Tell Newsletter and follow @thriftandtell on Instagram.
Before I go into recommendations, I should also note that I did a bit of my own research with the input I received in DMs in mind. Since many recommended investing in a Balsam Hill tree, I went to my local Nordstrom store where they had some on display. I found this incredibly helpful to see which trees I liked and which I did not. My favorites from that trip were the Fraser Fir and Biltmore Spruce (this was the one my mom liked best).
I also went to Costco to see the tree that many recommended. It was not decorated, which in a way made it a little bit more challenging to envision the final look. However, overall for $399, I thought it was a great option for a pre-lit tree. I was pretty close to just buying it, but typical indecisive me, I decided to think on it. I definitely would recommend it even though I ultimately did not purchase it.
Finally, I went to Home Depot to check out their selection. I thought this $199 tree was decent if you had an elaborate decoration scheme, but my sister veto’ed it and said it looked a bit cheap. I am still not totally convinced she was right- so if you’re on a budget- I think this is worth a shot. Ribbons, bows, tinsel etc. would disguise that it is not a super luxe tree.
I am including a summary of the most commonly recommended trees below:
Balsam Hill- this brand was recommended again and again. The trees admittedly are not inexpensive, but many said the quality made it worthwhile. If a live tree is $100-200 a season, you can easily save money over the course of a few years. You can purchase via the retailer’s website or Nordstrom.
King Of Christmas- Many recommended this brand as well. One follower proudly stated that she had a PhD in artificial trees and raved about this brand. HA! My only gripe with them is that they do not have any in store to view so you have to take a gamble that you will like the tree in person: Here are the trees that were recommended the most. Tribeca Blue Spruce, King Noble Fir and the King Flock Artificial Christmas
Costco- I included photos of the tree in the store and decorated below, but this was a solid option. (It is $100 cheaper in store.)
Home Depot- I included a photo below of this inexpensive option as well as a $299 option that I thought looked nice in person.
Frontgate- Like Balsam Hill, these are not inexpensive trees, but multiple people recommended the brand and this particular tree. This lightly flocked tree was also recommended.
Artificial trees are not inexpensive, so if you love a good hunt, I would also recommend checking out Facebook Marketplace and Ebay for secondhand trees. Just be sure to ask a lot of questions about condition. From my research, it seems a lot of people are selling pre-lit trees that have some lights that do not work. If you get a good enough price, I think you could get some good value on those types of trees and simply add your own lights.
So what tree did I ultimately purchase you may ask? In true T&T fashion, I landed on the Narrow Fraser Fir, that I purchased it in like-new condition second hand! I was worried at first it may be too narrow, but it really is just a bit thinner at the bottom than the standard size and fits perfectly in the little corner of my living room. Assembly was incredibly easy (you click the three parts into place) and I did it myself. If I’m being honest, I am not the biggest fan of LED lights. I’d prefer if the lights were incandescent, but that is harder to find these days for a pre-lit. I can always string different lights on it next years. The tree is very realistic looking and now I am just waiting on some final ornaments to finalize the tree. [2024 update: I love my tree so much that last year I decided to spring for two of the matching pre-lit wreaths as well as the garland for my mantel. They look really nice in person. I will caveat by saying you can blow through the battery if you keep them on all the time, so something to be aware of. I do wish the battery was stronger. You could opt to add your own lights too.]
I also included some photos of trees that I saw in person and some photos I received from T&T followers. All of these photos are hyperlinked to the exact link, so you can simply click through to view/purchase. If you sent me a photo and I did not include it, it is only because I received so many DMs it was overwhelming to keep track of them all! I tried to capture some of the most frequently requested trees! I hope this was helpful and as always thank you to the amazing T&T community for your recommendations. You always come through with the best recs! Happy holidays. xx
