How to buy a real Christmas Tree: a step-by-step guide from KAM Design

Norway spruce or Nordman fir? Local store or big shed? We look at how to buy the best

Are you hooked on the look, character and aroma of a real Christmas tree? Then here’s our six-step guide how to pick the right one.

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  • Step One

    Pick it up and drop it on its stump from a few inches above ground. If more than a few needles drop, it has not been freshly cut.

  • Step Two

    Compare weights. In the trade, trees are sold wholesale as premium, standard and third grade. Premium trees are heavier, bushier and have a straight “leader” (the central stem at the top of the tree).

  • Step Three

    Don’t buy Norway spruces at the beginning of December: their needles drop early. But if you prefer to put up a tree closer to Christmas, a spruce should last the 12 days.

  • Step Four

    If you want an early tree, buy a Nordmann fir. The needles won’t drop. They cost more because they take about seven years to grow compared with five for a Norway spruce.

  • Step Five

    The big-box retailers aren’t that bad. B&Q is selling its medium Nordmann fir for £36, while Ikea is offering a £20 voucher to spend in its store if you buy its £25 tree, effectively cutting the cost to £5. The drawback is that the tree is only 4.5ft high. Aldi’s 5ft Nordmann fir is a bargain at £17.99, while Lidl is charging £19.99. Wyevale Garden Centres offers Nordmann firs at £30 for under 5ft, rising to £68 for a 7ft to 8.5ft tree.

  • Step Six

    Buy from a local grower if you can. The British Christmas Tree Growers Association website, bctga.co.uk, will show you where you can buy locally.

When does it need to go?

Traditionally by January 6, or Twelfth Night — by which time you will be heartily sick of your Christmas tree anyway, bah humbug — it is time for it to go. These days, the process could not be easier. Local authorities will collect trees for shredding. Check your borough website for details of the date, then just remove all the decorations and leave it by your bin.

What kind of tree to buy?

Until fairly recently, the nation’s favourite Christmas tree was the Norway spruce, with spiky needles and a lovely pine scent. It tends to drop its needles though, so these days 80 per cent of Christmas trees sold are the Nordmann fir, with softer needles and the crucial ability to hold on to them so you’re not still vacuuming them up next summer.

For slim spaces, the Fraser fir is a great option since it has a narrower base.

The noble fir has slightly upturned branches that are great for showing off baubles or, if you like a blueish tone to your tree, try a blue spruce.

Expect to pay £50-£70 for a 6ft cut Nordmann fir and a little less for a Norway spruce.

Potted trees are a good choice for tabletops and can be kept going for many years in the garden as long as you remember to water them over the summer — easily forgotten.

And when to buy it?

It is best to hold off buying a cut tree until the second week of December, so it can stay looking good for as long as possible and certainly through Christmas week and to New Year’s Eve.

If you have to buy earlier, store it outside in a bucket of water until as late as possible.

Hope this helps all you festive followers when choosing the right tree for your homes this Christmas

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