The best faux tree
If you’ve shrugged off artificial Christmas trees as looking “too fake,” you’ll change your tune after seeing – and feeling – the Downswept Douglas Fir with Dual-Color Lights from the National Tree Company.
This 7.5-foot-tall beauty is incredibly realistic, both in feel and appearance. Like most artificial trees today, the Downswept Douglas Fir disassembles into three sections, and the branches fold up flat against the core, making it fairly easy to store after the holiday.
The tree’s lights change from all white to multi-colored at the press of the foot switch, which is a fun touch that is unusual for an artificial tree. It also eliminates the need for you to go buy more lights if you don't want to.
Wirecutter's experts chose it as their top pick, saying it excels at creating “a truly convincing illusion of a living tree.” They also praise the tree’s 100-bulbs-per-square foot (for a total of 750 LED lights), which they say is the perfect ratio. Buyers on Amazon agree, so if you prefer an artificial tree, this is the one for you.
Pros: Extremely realistic, perfect size for most living rooms, pre-lit with white or colored lights, and very easy to assemble disassemblable
Cons: You’ll need to take time to fluff the branches once the tree is assembled. Expensive, but when you amortize the price over the decade or more the tree will last, it’s not so bad
Buy the National Tree Company’s Downswept Douglas Fir with Dual-Color Lights on Amazon for $369.99 (originally $779.99) Read our full guide to the best artificial Christmas trees you can buy.The best Christmas tree stand
The Krinner Tree Genie has a five-claw design that holds a live tree’s trunk in place. The claws are connected with a single cable that allows the claws to apply equal pressure around the trunk whether it is thin, crooked, or thick. To secure the trunk, you put the tree in the base and tighten the cable using the foot pedal ratchet.
The Tree Genie XXL has a 20-inch diameter and is made of a plastic resin. It weighs approximately eighteen pounds without water. The base holds 2.5 gallons and features a water level indicator that tells you when to refill the water. The Tree Genie L has an 18-inch diameter, weighs thirteen pounds, holds a gallon of water, and accommodates trees up to eight feet tall.
The experts almost universally agree that the Krinner Tree Genie is the best. The Wirecutter has picked it as the best Christmas tree stand for four years in a row because of its one-of-a-kind design that is versatile, secure, and easy to set up. More than 700 of the reviewers of the Krinner Tree Genie on Amazon gave it five stars.
Buyers have reported using the Tree Genie XXL for trees as tall as fourteen feet. They like how easy it is to set up quickly and how sturdy it is. Read more in our tree stand buying guide by James Brains.
Pros: Quick and easy setup, excellent customer support, stable base, 2.5-gallon reservoir (for the XXL)
Cons: The base may crack and leak
Buy the Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand on Amazon for $70 and up (price varies by size) Read our guide to the best Christmas tree stands you can buy.The best ornament sets
No matter what your style is, you can find the perfect ornaments for your tree at Target. Ornaments are categorized by style and theme, making it easy to find ones you'll love.
You can buy special ornaments individually or in sets. Many of the individual ornaments would make excellent gifts. If you're looking for unique collectible ornaments, you should also check out our holiday gift guide to the best ones.
Pros: Ornaments in all styles, buy individually or in sets, affordable
Cons: None
Shop Christmas ornaments at Target (prices vary by ornament)The best tree topper
Most tree toppers have to be positioned just so to avoid having them come toppling down or leaning like the Tower of Pisa. Instead, this happy snowman easily slips over the top of the tree and then holds on tight with his wire arms.
The snowman topper is 13-inches high with 20-inch arms, so he’s a good size for most full Christmas trees. His size, however, is the most complained about feature in reviews on Amazon, with around half the complainers saying he is too big and the rest opining that he’s too small. Measure before buying, and you'll be fine.
The majority of Amazon buyers love the Christmas Snowman Tree Hugger, however. It has more than 100 reviews and an average of 4.6 stars. Says one happy owner, “This is the cutest snowman tree topper! It's easy to put on your tree, and is very colorful, too.”
Pros: A cute change from the usual star or angel topper, easy to put in place, colorful
Cons: If you don’t like snowmen, you may find this too cutesy for your tastes
Buy the Christmas Snowman Tree Hugger on Amazon for $11.99The best tree skirt
A Christmas tree isn’t fully decorated until it has a skirt to hide the tree stand and the base of the trunk. And when that skirt is the Valery Madelyn Traditional Holly Leaves Tree Skirt, your tree immediately takes on a bit of holiday glamour.
The skirt is 48 inches in diameter, which is large enough to wrap around the tree’s base, yet still make a showing. With embroidered holly leaves, appliqued berries, and rich, red velvet, this Christmas tree skirt is classically beautiful, yet not at all stodgy or out of date.
Just imagine wrapped gifts piled high on this stunner — What a lovely Christmas morning to wake up to!
Pros: Heirloom-beautiful, well constructed
Cons: Some commented that the skirt is actually a brighter red than it appears on screen
Buy the Valery Madelyn Traditional Holly Leaves Tree Skirt on Amazon for $29.99 Read our guide to the best tree skirts you can buy.The best string lights
Wrap them around your tree, string them along your home’s exterior trim, use them to create a large arrow on your roof pointing towards your chimney to make it easier for Santa to spot. Whatever you choose, you’ll find the GE Energy Smart Colorite LED Mini Light Set is up to the challenge.
These are cheerful, bright-colored lights. You’ll find red, blue, purple, green, and yellow evenly spaced along the 100-light strand. If you prefer white, however, those are available as well.
You can expect years of service from the lights, as long as you don’t abuse them, but should one burn out, never fear — The rest of the string will continue to light up just fine. They use a fraction of the electricity consumed by old-style incandescent lights, so no big surprise on your December utility bill and they remain cool to the touch during use.
Each string of 100 lights stretches to 33 feet, but you can connect up to 25 sets for as much length as you need. The GE Energy Smart Colorite LED Mini Light Set is rated for indoor or outdoor use.
Wirecutter chose these as the best string lights and buyers agree that you can't go wrong with them.
Pros: Very energy efficient, vibrant color, won’t shut down if one bulb burns out
Cons: None to speak of
Buy the GE Energy Smart Colorite LED Mini Light Set from Home Depot for $21.98 Read our full guide to the best Christmas lights you can buy.The best wreath for your front door
Made from fresh, real noble fir and juniper greens, real eucalyptus sprigs, miniature pine cones, and faux berries for a touch of color, the beautiful Woodland Eucalyptus Wreath from L.L. Bean highlights the wonders of the holiday season and adds a glorious touch of living color to your front door.
At 24 inches in diameter, the wreath is a good size for the average door, and it comes with an over-the-door hanger, so just take it out of the box, hang it on your door, and start admiring both its visual beauty and its wonderful fragrance.
This seasonal wreath is a bestseller on L.L. Bean and sells out quickly each year, so don’t delay in ordering. Happy customers rave about the wreath’s fullness, beauty, long life, and freshness. Many buy several each year to give as gifts.
Pros: Beautiful, fragrant natural materials, makes a great gift, very reasonably priced for a natural wreath
Cons: Sells out quickly
Buy the Woodland Eucalyptus Wreath from L.L. Bean for $44.95The best holiday inflatable
Holiday inflatables — You either hate them or you love them. But whichever way you lean, chances are your kids fall firmly in the “love them” camp. If so, you can’t go wrong with the Inflatable Snow Family from Gemmy.
At roughly 6.5 feet wide by 5 feet high by 3.5 feet deep, the Inflatable Snow Family is large enough to make an impression, but not so large as to be obnoxious. It inflates quickly and easily with its built-in fan and has a 5-foot power cord.
It lights up as well, casting a cheery glow through your front yard. Several stakes and tethers keep the snow family firmly attached to the ground, although if high winds are in the forecast, it’s a good idea to give the family the night off.
Pleased buyers on The Home Depot's site comment on how cute and sturdy this inflatable is and several mention how much their children enjoy it.
Pros: Not too large, reasonable price, durable and easy to store
Cons: If you don’t like inflatables, this isn’t the decoration for you
Buy the Inflatable Snow Family from Home Depot for $69.98The best stockings
L.L. Bean makes cute classic needlepoint stockings that look great in any home. You can even personalize them with your family members' names.
Buyers rave about the velvet back, the hand-needlepoint front, and the wide selection of cute designs. Many buyers say they purchase the stockings to give as gifts, as well.
The Needlepoint Christmas Stockings are roughly 7.5 inches across and 20.5 inches long. They have a loop for hanging on your mantel, but it’s best not to rely on it alone if the stocking is heavily packed.
There are several stocking designs to choose from. Personalization, whether it’s a name or initials, is free, and you can pick from many different colors of thread.
Pros: Beautiful designs needle pointed by hand, free personalization, large size, well-constructed
Cons: None to speak of
Buy the Needlepoint Christmas Stockings on L.L Bean for $29.95The best garland
This gorgeous 12-foot length of garland is made of faux greenery adorned with red and gold ornaments, along with 100 white LED lights. There's no need to plug the garland in because it runs on batteries and has a timer to switch the lights off after several hours.
While Home Accents says the garland is safe for use outdoors in a covered area, some buyers claimed the red decorations bled dye when wet with rain, so it’s best to keep this garland indoors. Most buyers on The Home Depot’s website commented on the good looks of the garland and felt it was a beautiful addition to their holiday décor.
Wrap the garland around posts, rails, or edges, or use the attached small loops to hang the garland over small hooks or nails. You can also lay it out on your holiday dining table to serve as a runner, or drape it around your tree.
Pros: Comes with ornaments and lights already attached, no need for a nearby electrical outlet
Cons: Color can run if garland gets wet
Buy the Home Accents Holiday Pre-Lit Plaza Garland from Home Depot for $65.98The best advent calendar
The Byer’s Choice Christmas Tree Advent Calendar isn’t a cardboard cheapie filled with candy and tossed after December 25th. Nope, this beautiful and reusable advent calendar is made of wood, so you’ll be able to use it year after year. You might even pass it on to your kids when they are grown, and let them start the tradition with their own children.
There are 24 numbered compartments of different sizes. Each compartment is 2.5 inches deep, but the height and width vary depending on where the compartment is positioned on the calendar. Most are around 2.5 inches wide to two inches high, so there’s enough space in each for a candy, a small toy, a ring or pair of earrings, a dollar bill, or a pack of gum —whatever you think your kids will enjoy.
Then, of course, your children or maybe the grownups of the family, open up the appropriately numbered door and collect their prize each day of December from the first to the twenty-fourth. A classic family tradition that’s just as fun for toddlers as teens.
Pros: Reusable advent calendar is made of wood to last for years, compartments are large enough for many different items
Cons: A couple of customers complained that their calendars arrived broken
Buy the Byer’s Choice Christmas Tree Advent Calendar on Amazon for $85.00 Check out 17 of our favorite unique advent calendars.The best unique Christmas decoration
Llamas might not be traditional Christmas décor, but perhaps that’s going to change now that the Christmas Incandescent Tinsel Llama has hit the scene.
With a plastic frame and polyester tinsel “fur,” this colorful llama, dressed in his very festive legwarmers, stands 32 inches tall. There are 70 clear lights spread throughout the llama, so he’ll make a scene even after dark.
You can keep the llama indoors for a fun touch in the living room, or go ahead and park him on your front lawn, using the included ground stakes to keep him from blowing away. Either way, you’ll need to plug in the 36-inch power cord to fire up the lights. Truly a unique take on Christmas décor.
Pros: Conversation starter, comes with attached lights, holds up well outdoors
Cons: None to speak of, unless you prefer more traditional Christmas décor
Buy the Christmas Incandescent Tinsel Llama at Target for $50Check out our other great Christmas decorating buying guides
Holiday decorations bring feelings of warmth and cheer even in the darkest and coldest days of the year. Testing, setting up, and connecting Christmas lights can be anything but a joyful experience, though.
To that end, this year I've worked to assemble a buying guide filled primarily with holiday lights that not only look great, but that also make your life easier.
Here are the best Christmas lights you can buy:
- Best Christmas lights overall: KooPower Waterproof Battery Fairy Lights
- Best Christmas lights: Good Tidings Light Ceramic Multi-Colored Holiday Lights
- Best light projector: TOFU Laser Projector Light
- Best solar Christmas lights: VMANOO Solar Powered String Lights
- Best mini Christmas lights: Brizled LED Mini String Christmas Lights
- Best permanent Christmas lights: Everlights Starter Kit
Artificial Christmas trees have come a long way since the '80s, and now they look much more realistic and festive during the holiday season.
After researching scores of artificial trees that are available from $15 to $1,500 and assessing them for issues like cost, convenience, beauty, and realism, we've whittled it down to the five best artificial Christmas trees you can buy this holiday season.
Here are the best artificial Christmas trees you can buy:
- Best artificial Christmas tree overall: Balsam Hill Classic Blue Spruce
- Best for big rooms: Pre-lit 12-foot Dunhill Fir Tree by National Tree
- Best for small spaces: Home Heritage 7-foot Pre-Lit Artificial Half Christmas Tree
- Best budget tree: Best Choice Products 6-foot Artificial Christmas Tree
- Best non-traditional tree: Treetopia Silver Shadow Ombre Artificial Christmas Tree
Tree skirts add a dash of color and style to your holiday decor while hiding away that unsightly tree stand and all the Christmas light cords.
Here are the best tree skirts you can buy:
- Best tree skirt overall: Primode Holiday Images 50-Inch Tree Skirt
- Best traditional tree skirt: Valery Madelyn 48-inch Tree Skirt
- Best mini tree skirt: VHC Brands Burlap Ruffled Mini Tree Skirt
- Best affordable tree skirt: SANNO Snowflake Rustic Beige Tree Skirt
- Best large tree skirt: Kurt Adler Embroidered and Pleated 60-Inch Tree Skirt
- Best lighted tree skirt: Teresa's Collection Woodland Reindeer Christmas Tree Skirt
The best Christmas tree stands are designed to last for many decades, have a stable base that holds plenty of water, are easy to set up, and store easily after the holidays are over. The Krinner Tree Genie Christmas Tree Stand is the best one you can buy, thanks to its innovative design.
You should also consider the Jack-Post Welded Steel Christmas Tree Stand, the National Tree Folding Tree Stand, the Good Tidings Cinco Tabletop Christmas Tree Stand, and the Cinco C Express Tree Stand.
Also, if you're doing holiday gift shopping, you can check out all of our 2018 gift guides on Insider Picks.
