Once it’s Christmas, everyone is happy and mostly elated. If you aren’t careful, you may hit the stores and buy trees just because they are sleek.
Sure, sleekness matters. But before you get that stunning, awe-inspiring 7 foot artificial Christmas tree into your home, check out some of its qualities and downsides.
If you’re buying a pre-lit tree, then you may want to take note of the following:
Advantages of pre-lit trees
Great for convenience: Among all the stages in the decorating process, stringing lights typically takes the most time.
Pre-lit trees make decorating your home easier, and removing lights after Christmas is easier as well. No doubts, since the holidays are already busy enough, not having to string tree lights relieves you of one more chore.
Safe and efficient: As LED lights become cooler and more energy-efficient (instead of incandescent), together with artificial trees not drying out, pre-lit Christmas trees can be the perfect balance between safety, convenience and energy efficiency.
Pro tip: Check to make sure your tree is UL listed/approved — this indicates its safety. Unless this designation is available, you should explore other options before making a final choice.
Disadvantages of pre-lit trees
Expensive: Pre-lit trees are almost always among the most expensive options when it comes to artificial Christmas trees to buy for the holidays. Besides, pre-lit Balsam Hill Balsam Firs are $499.99 compared to $429.99 for an unlit model.
Burn-outs: The pre-lit bulbs aren’t all the same. A broken bulb in a less expensive tree could short out all the other lights, leaving it bare and unattractive. But then you can avoid this by looking for labels that state ‘continuous on’ or contain the phrase ‘burn-out protection.’
Limited decorating options: Since most pre-lit trees stay lit until they’re replaced, you’re limited in your decorating options.
