Modern Interior

 

If you love the traditions surrounding Christmas, then no doubt you can’t wait to put up your tree in all its glory. Prince Albert introduced the custom to Great Britain in 1841, when he imported a tree from Germany for Queen Victoria.

 

Faux Fir or Real?

 

Practicality often plays a part when deciding to buy an artificial tree, such as saving money. An alternative is to buy a pot-grown tree, which you can bring in every year and then plant in the garden when it’s grown too large. A word of warning here: make sure the tree has actually been grown in a pot or it will likely die. What about having that dreaded carpet of needles from a cut tree? Fortunately, there are non-drop varieties such as Nordman, Fraser and blue spruce available; these species are more expensive and will still eventually drop needles but they last much longer than the standard Norway spruce. But surely buying a real tree is bad for the environment, right? Well actually, research shows that real is best! It takes about eight years for a tree to reach saleable height, then they’re replanted like any crop. Farming trees means more CO2 being absorbed, which helps to combat global warming. Synthetic trees are usually made from non-biodegradable PVC and metal, which end up as landfill. You should also consider that most artificial trees are shipped from China, so transport must be added to the environmental cons. And a fake tree doesn't have that wonderful aroma of natural pine, which can be so evocative of childhood. Whichever type you choose, there is still the job of dressing it.

 

Themed or Hodgepodge?

 

Whether your tree is colour-coordinated or a menagerie of mix-matched ornaments probably depends on how sentimental you are. Collecting ornaments over the years and handing them down to the next generation is a popular custom. Choosing a significant ornament each year is a great way to tell a story on your tree. It could be a bauble for when you’re baby was born or when you moved into your first home. You might even have a collection from your travels; although unusual in the UK, many countries have Christmas stores open year round. While a tree adorned with keepsakes may not win any tree-dressing trophies, it can produce a warm glow inside.

 

For those who don’t want a real tree on the floor, either because your dog might take a shine to it or because you don’t want to crawl around on your stomach in order to keep the water topped up, why not opt for a smaller tree and place it on top of a