Best known for their wide range of lovely diffusers, fragrance oils and candles, as well as minimalist homeware and loungewear, The White Company may not be your first port of call when searching for a new artificial Christmas tree that looks just as good as the real thing, if not better. But after researching, testing and decorating several high-quality artificial trees available to buy, we think the British retailer should be top of your list.
They stock an impressive selection of trees on their site, from delightful dinky options that are ideal for nestling into nooks and crannies, to their impressive Pre-Lit Grand Spruce, which was also in our top five, and is a particularly realistic choice. So that is another one we'd recommend taking a look at, if you're after a larger, more imposing tree.
Our top pick for this festive season, however, is the Symons Nordmann Fir Christmas Tree, a bestseller. We tested the unlit version, though it is also available in the same size pre-lit, which has the benefit of removing the hassle of untangling and arranging string lights. Read on for our in-depth thoughts on this luxury tree.
House & Garden's verdict:
The White Company's Symons Nordmann Fir is our top pick this year. Having tried a number of Christmas trees, we determined that this artificial tree to be the best of the bunch. With its hyper-realistic branches, natural shade of green and fluffy looking tips, the overall effect is festive without feeling faux. The seven and a half foot tree is over four feet wide, and is comprised of over 1,754 hand painted (yes, really) tips for a bushy and bright effect. We tested the one without lights, but The White Company have a pre-lit version of the same tree for a hassle free Christmas decorating session.
Extra points are allocated to this tree because it comes with a stylish wicker basket tree skirt that covers up the tree's base and means you don't have to buy anything extra. Our favourite extra touch is that The White Company has designed a coordinating scent, aptly named fir tree, so you can spray the tree and it'll capture the fragrance so you won’t miss that real ‘Christmas tree’ smell.
| Information | The White Company Symons Nordmann Fir Christmas Tree |
|---|---|
| Dimensions: | 7.5ft (also available in 6ft, pre-lit) |
| Pre-lit: | Both unlit and pre-lit available. |
| Material: | Mix of PE, PVC |
| Tip count: | 1,754, 234 per foot |
Initial impressions
When unboxing the tree, we really appreciated the malleability of the branches, which allowed us to fluff it up for maximum bushiness and realism. Allow time for this crucial sprucing up process, otherwise the tree will not look as fabulous as it could.
The green tones of the tree's needles appeared subtle and natural, avoiding an overly bright green look. Some tips were painted with variation in tones, which enhanced the realistic appearance.
I really appreciated that the tree comes with a wicker tree skirt, as this smartly covers up the stand of the tree, which is often the biggest giveaway that a tree is fake.
Assembly and contents review
Owing to its size and quality, this was undoubtedly the weightiest tree that we tested out, and having at least two people to assemble it would be advisable. As can be expected, the branches had been flattened from being tightly packed in the box, so as mentioned above, some fluffing up is needed once all the parts have been put together.
When completely assembled, the tree looked full, wide and tall, and that was before we decorated it with a bauble or two. There were no gaping holes between sparse branches here, which I've found with cheaper artificial trees in the past. The tree skirt felt of good quality and the natural finish on the wicker means it will fit unassumingly with any living room or Christmas decorations it is surrounded by.
This tree is not pre-lit, so we'd recommend adding string lights to bring the tree to its full potential and add some Christmas twinkle. We chose to keep it classic with warm white LED lights. The high quality of the branches meant that the tree held up well while hanging decorations, without drooping or sagging under the weight. One exception to this, however, and one of the only downsides of the tree that we found, was that the top branch of the tree struggled under the weight of our star, so that is something to bear in mind if you have an angel or star topper you wish to crown the tree with.
Delivery
As I have already mentioned, this tree is rather heavy, so the box that was delivered with the tree inside was pretty weighty. If you'll need to carry the tree up some stairs to get it to your room of choice, this would be something to bear in mind; with two people the process would be less cumbersome.
This tree is quite the investment, so the free standard delivery over £50 that The White Company offer was appreciated. Their standard delivery timeframe is 7-10 days, which is a touch longer than some retailers, so that is something to consider to ensure that the tree arrives in time to make the most of it over the festive period.
The tree was securely packed in a large oblong box. It was quite a challenge squashing all the branches back into the box after use, but The White Company offer a storage bag, sold separately, that we would recommend purchasing for easier storage between Christmases.
The White Company Symons Nordmann Fir Christmas Tree verdict
Overall, we feel that the hand-painted tips, natural colour and bushiness of this tree, as well as its impressive size and the added bonus of the tree skirt and free delivery, more than justifies the higher price tag on this Christmas tree. We feel that it would be a great investment that would last for many Christmases to come, and really holds its own if you are used to real Christmas trees.
