NFT: New Christmas tree recommendations

Just go prelight
ThreePoints : 8:43 am : link
You'll go crazy trying to match the color of lights. We had a pre-light tree and one of the strains went, and we had to go to about 3 different stores to get enough lights of the same brand/color to fill the tree. It was a headache.
After paying 160 for a 9 ft tree last year,
rnargi : 8:44 am : link
I bit the bullet and bought an artificial tree a few days ago. It's a top of the line Balsam Hill, pre lit. I did a lot of research and it seems the two best are Balsam Hill and National Tree "feel real" trees. NT's are a little less expensive but harder to find. I haven't received it yet, and I told my wife (who never liked live trees until we met) if she doesn't like it, we'll send it back. We'll see.

I went Costco and get the pre-lit
Neckbone1333 : 9:35 am : link
for $399.99, but got it on sale during Black Friday 4 years ago for $299.99

I literally take it out of the box and the branches fall perfectly without any adjusting. Also, it is 3 separate pieces without a wire connecting them so super easy to put together. Took me about 5 minutes yesterday.

Also, it comes with a remote control where you can switch between color and white lights and if you want them blinking, alternating, etc.

So happy with the tree. THey also have a super tall one for like $699.99 I think.
I bite the bullet
DC Gmen Fan : 9:43 am : link
and get a live tree every year. I love the tradition of going to pick out the tree at a lot where there's a fire pit and hot chocolate, cutting off the bottom part of the stump every year and making an ornament out of it, the fir smell, the sap, putting it up, putting lights on it, the imperfections, etc etc. Hell even cleaning up the pine needles makes the vacuum smell good lol.

My kids love it too. It's a hassle for sure but the memories more than make up for it.
..
Named Later : 9:49 am : link
I'll back the Balsam Hill recommendation. We bought a pre-lit 8 years ago, and it still looks brand new. Comes in 4 sections with the electrical connections in the pole, goes together in about 5 minutes. You can spend the rest of the afternoon hanging your ornaments on it. Burn a pine-scented candle for effect.

It stores in a couple of 'duffel'bags the rest of the year.
RE: I bite the bullet
rnargi : 9:50 am : link
In comment 15460429 DC Gmen Fan said:
Quote:
and get a live tree every year. I love the tradition of going to pick out the tree at a lot where there's a fire pit and hot chocolate, cutting off the bottom part of the stump every year and making an ornament out of it, the fir smell, the sap, putting it up, putting lights on it, the imperfections, etc etc. Hell even cleaning up the pine needles makes the vacuum smell good lol.

My kids love it too. It's a hassle for sure but the memories more than make up for it.


Yep...did it for 59 years...kids used to love going to cut a tree down...it was an all day affair. It will be missed, but the kids are grown with kids of their own or away in college. The baton has been passed.
RE: I bite the bullet
Sec 103 : 9:51 am : link
In comment 15460429 DC Gmen Fan said:
Quote:
and get a live tree every year. I love the tradition of going to pick out the tree at a lot where there's a fire pit and hot chocolate, cutting off the bottom part of the stump every year and making an ornament out of it, the fir smell, the sap, putting it up, putting lights on it, the imperfections, etc etc. Hell even cleaning up the pine needles makes the vacuum smell good lol.

My kids love it too. It's a hassle for sure but the memories more than make up for it.


This, every year!
RE: After paying 160 for a 9 ft tree last year,
Gatorade Dunk : 10:12 am : link
In comment 15460373 rnargi said:
Quote:
I bit the bullet and bought an artificial tree a few days ago. It's a top of the line Balsam Hill, pre lit. I did a lot of research and it seems the two best are Balsam Hill and National Tree "feel real" trees. NT's are a little less expensive but harder to find. I haven't received it yet, and I told my wife (who never liked live trees until we met) if she doesn't like it, we'll send it back. We'll see.

We had a NT artificial that got soaked with contaminated water in the Ida flooding, so we tossed it a few months ago, but what I can say about their trees is that they look less and less "real" over time, fairly quickly with each year of putting them away and bringing them back out the following year.

I'm fully willing to accept that it may have been user error and that there might be a better way to store the tree than in the box in which it came, but it was looking a bit haggard by the 3rd or 4th year we had it.

We just bought a new artificial tree online last night from Joss & Main. It looked good and had solid reviews, but we obviously haven't received it yet so I can't confirm. I also did buy an artificial tree storage bag from Amazon in the hopes that I can avoid using the old cardboard box for years.
Thank you for the recommendations
Boatie Warrant : 10:14 am : link
I was always a fresh tree guy until my deployments in the Army made it impractical for the wife to get a live one with three small kids. She bought the fake one and all has been well for 20 years. Time for an upgrade!
We always had a live tree
VTChuck : 10:21 am : link
often cut on our own land, when we lived in the country

We've downsized and got an artificial tree a couple of years ago.

8.5' for 9' ceilings. The first year was a PITA because all the branches had to be "fluffed up", but its a one time thing

I chose to buy one without lights because:

1. I had many strings of pricey larger LED lights already
2. If the lights die on a pre-lit tree, you've got a huge hassle
RE: We always had a live tree
Gatorade Dunk : 10:35 am : link
In comment 15460462 VTChuck said:
Quote:
often cut on our own land, when we lived in the country

We've downsized and got an artificial tree a couple of years ago.

8.5' for 9' ceilings. The first year was a PITA because all the branches had to be "fluffed up", but its a one time thing

I chose to buy one without lights because:

1. I had many strings of pricey larger LED lights already
2. If the lights die on a pre-lit tree, you've got a huge hassle

I think most prelit artificial trees are strung with lights that continue working even with a dead bulb in the chain (and then you just have to replace that bulb or ignore it).

Honestly, for me, the lights are the best thing about having an artificial tree. I also like being able to choose a narrow profile tree so I can position it under the vaulted ceiling in our living room without it blocking the A/V setup (which is also at that end of the LR). But if I could somehow combine a real tree at the shape/profile/height that I want and not have to string the lights while my dogs try to chew the wires behind me, I'd do that every year.

It's just much easier to find a tree that fits our living room perfectly, is already lit, and I know it will be exactly as I expect each year so I'm not ending up with a Charlie Brown branch.

I posted a thread, saw it was not NFT then deleted it. Then reposted as a NFT (or at least so I thought.)

Sorry for the mess up

I wouldn't go back. I completely overpaid for my latest tree. It is a BH Balsam Fir Flip Tree with wheels and it flips for storage.

It is probably the best tree I have ever bought. Easy storage, on wheels, super bright. You can select between clear and color led lights.

9 feet tall. Looks completely real.

This will be the last tree I ever buy. I am embarrassed to say what I paid for it. Everybody that comes to my house loves it and thinks it is real.

But they make less expensive trees too...

I had the same tree at my mom's house from 1987 to around 2012 and then once that one got damaged from Sandy, I think that house has seen 4 or 5 different trees. They're junk, at least the ones they've been buying over there.

I started putting up my tree last week & there were more lights out than on. Couldn't deal with it for another year & put the tree out for the trash. Went on Amazon,bought a National Tree Company 7.5 tree unlit. Then bought 1,000 white lights. The tree is very full,with plenty of branches for ornaments. The lights look beautiful,there are no empty spots & I know if a strand goes out(even though they say if one goes out,they still stay on!),all I need to do is replace it! First stress free Christmas putting up the tree since I stopped doing live ones!

We get a live tree every year. I love the tradition of going to pick out the tree at a lot where there's a fire pit and hot chocolate, cutting off the bottom part of the stump every year and making an ornament out of it, the fir smell, the sap, putting it up, putting lights on it, the imperfections, etc etc. Hell even cleaning up the pine needles makes the vacuum smell good lol.

My kids love it too. It's a hassle for sure but the memories more than make up for it.

I picked up a pre-lit folding tree at Costco last year. That thing is a tank, and unfolding the branches literally beats up my hands and arms.

But that thing looks like real and is really nice.

We got a 9' tree from Sam-Club (Virginia Pine, prelit) for $179 in December of 2019. The tree is now $289. Its a pretty decent tree, has a good tip count (2,328), and looks fairly nice. I'm sure there are better ones, but for the price we paid, in three seasons it pays for itself compared to a real tree.

For comparison, a Balsam Hill 9' tree at $499 on sale, has a tip count of 2,295 and no lights.