Christmas is here again and it’s time to start thinking about how we are going to decorate our homes. Over the past five years the Christmas industry has seen a dramatic shift in what people are buying in the way of trees and lights.
More people shop on the internet today for Christmas trees, both fresh and artificial, because it saves time. Saving time is also a reason why more people today are buying artificial trees. When it comes to Christmas tree lights LED lights have paved the way for a more energy-efficient, longer-life bulb.
DECIDING BETWEEN ARTIFICIAL AND REAL TREES
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the association that has given a tree annually to the President and first family since 1966, approximately half of all people buying trees are buying artificial trees. However, Rick Dungee from the NCTA (National Christmas Tree Association) says that the “traditionalists will always prefer a real tree, in its look, smell and touch, to an artificial tree.”
Artificial trees are becoming very popular for a few reasons, (the industry sold over 9 million trees last year according to Green Profit). First, artificial trees are not as difficult to assemble as in years past. There are fewer parts in the box, and the branches often come easy to arrange in sections, and equipped with lights. Second, today’s trees look more real, “needles are rounded and there are more hand-painted tips,” says Bev Hendrickson of Vickerman, a wholesaler of artificial trees in Minnesota. Of course, finding an extra place to store the tree when the holidays are over can be challenging, but at least you don’t have to figure out how to dispose of your tree.
Perhaps for those who don’t have much time to prepare for the holidays the biggest benefit of owning an artificial tree is the time-saving aspect of setting up, decorating and putting away the tree.
THE BEAUTY AND BENEFITS OF HAVING A REAL TREE
Real trees, costing on average, between $15-150, (the prices go down the closer we get to Christmas), and standing between five-to-seven feet tall, have great appeal with typically younger people, in their twenties and thirties, and people who want to recycle their trees for environmental benefits associated with recycling. Most harvested Christmas trees today are recycled.
The most popular fresh trees used as Christmas trees are the: Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Noble Fir, Scotch Pine and White Pine, according to the NCTA. Traditionalists still enjoy the fun of going directly to a grower, touching the needles and branches, and really looking over the tree they are about to buy.
SHOPPING FOR REAL TREES ONLINE SAVES TIME
Real trees have become easier to purchase on the internet, (more than 300,000 real trees were sold online and in catalogs last year), and many trees that can get delivered to your house are even fresher than ones you might find at a lot. They are sent out immediately after being cut, rather than sitting on a lot for four-to-five days, or even weeks. Be aware of shopping online, though, because you can’t touch or see the tree in person. You may also be limited to height because of shipping restrictions.
Real trees are also easier to take care of today and can pose less of a fire hazard if you have the proper tools. A popular gift item this year is the Green Square Gift Waterer, available at Home Products ‘N’ More, as seen on the Today Show, for $29.95, including ground shipping in the U.S. Disguised as a beautifully wrapped present, this waterer has a hose that requires minimal assembly and can keep a seven-foot tree watered for several days.
Also helping the fresh tree industry is the popularity of the LED lighting, which uses less energy than incandescent lights, lowering any fire risk.
ARTIFICIAL TREES EASIER TO SET UP AND MORE ATTRACTIVE TODAY
Daniel Randolph, President of Amazon Foliages, sees the artificial tree industry going in a few different directions. “Many people who want to buy an artificial tree want it to look very real and authentic. However,” Randolph points out, “other people want very festive-looking trees that come in vibrant colors, like lime green, hot pink and silver.” A good quality five- to seven-foot artificial tree can range in price between $300-500. There are sales all year long, but as we move closer to Christmas prices drop dramatically.
So what are some of the key questions you should ask an artificial tree seller before buying an artificial tree that will last, on average, between six and ten years?
- How many needle tips does the tree have? A good quality six-foot tree should have approximately 2,500-3,000 tips. A good quality five-foot tree should have 2,300-2,500 tips.
- Are the tips rounded? A realistic-looking tree has rounded tips today.
- Are the light bulbs on the tree small or large? A good quality tree package uses about 700 smaller lights, or 300 larger lights. Larger lights are becoming more popular and give off more light. Many bulbs can even be individually screwed into the socket.
- What is the warranty on the tree? Most trees with LED lights today come with a ten-year warranty.
- Is the tree, in fact, pre-lit? 90% of all artificial trees today are pre-lit.
LEDS LIGHT THE WAY
LED, or low voltage lights, (on average 4.8 watts per string), have grown in popularity because they reduce both energy costs and fire hazards. LED lights can be brighter than incandescent, and some people still prefer the intimacy of the incandescent light, but the LED bulbs last around 50,000 hours and save almost 90% in electricity costs over the incandescent bulbs!
Pre-lit with LED lights, full-branch, realistic-looking trees run approximately $300-500 at retail stores. When buying a lit tree you may want to see the tree in person to make sure you like the way the lights look.
LED lights are a relatively new technology, but because of the energy-saving benefits and unusual-shaped LED bulbs the industry has seen a growing trend in LEDs. Some of the shapes found in LED lights include: snowflakes, chili peppers, strawberries, flowers and other festive shapes.
Incandescent bulbs typically come in two sizes of bulbs: large and small. Although not an energy-saving bulb, the larger bulb is ironically also gaining in popularity over the smaller bulb. The reason is because the larger bulbs give off more light and add sparkle to the tree. Large colored lights are back in style and add to the festivity of decorating. Also, you don’t need to buy as many large bulbs as small bulbs to cover the tree. One of the problems with the smaller bulb is that it can get loose or break.
When buying bulbs of any kind, you want to make sure the bulbs are set close together for the maximum effect. At Environmental Lights.com, you can see LED lights set 4 inches apart, in a 12-foot strand for about $15. The closer the bulbs are together, as with 2-inch bulb spacing, the more expensive the strand, costing somewhere between $30-45 per strand. LEDs can become an expensive alternative to the traditional incandescents, but the energy savings over the years usually outweighs the cost. Also, LEDs typically come with a ten-year warranty, particularly as part of a pre-lit artificial tree.
EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS
With so many options in trees and lighting it is easy to do some comparison shopping, but there is never any substitute to seeing the tree in real life. Checking the fullness, quality of the tree, and the way the tree glows when lit is something you can only do in person. You will know when you have touched upon a gem.
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