'Tis the season for eggnog, cinnamon-scented brooms and Christmas tree shopping. While we all wish we had 12-foot ceilings to get the tallest, lushest tree from the local lot, the options for apartment dwellers are a bit more limited due to space.
Fortunately, there are plenty of apartment-friendly Christmas tree options to make your space every bit as festive as any other home. So, let's get in the Christmas spirit, already! Check out the best types of apartment Christmas trees below. Once you've made your pick, head on out and pick one up to get the season started off right!
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If you're adamant about a real Christmas tree, just skip over this part. If, however, you're a little more open-minded, allow us to tell you a little more about artificial trees. First, they're durable, don't require messy watering, usually don't drop needles and used over and over again. That alone makes them a more fiscally responsible option. They also come in all shapes and sizes, and are pre-lit, flocked or neither, depending on what you want.
However, artificial trees have a couple of pretty major cons working against them. You have to store them between seasons, which requires space that many apartment dwellers simply don't have. Fortunately, most break down into boxes and store easily under a bed or in the back of a closet. They also don't have the festive fragrance that so many fans of the season love, but you can easily solve that with an authentic wreath for the front door or a few well-placed branches as décor. You can also rest easy knowing that no tree died to make your season lovelier, so there's that.
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If you're a fan of minimalist trees adorned with lightweight ornaments, the Balsam fir is a great fit for your space. This tree is very fragrant, known for that desirable Christmasy scent, so it will put you in a festive mood quickly.
The needles are a beautiful dark green and look great against gold and silver accents. Despite the flexible branches on this tree, the needles stay put for a long time. If you have a lot of heavy ornaments, this breed of tree is not for you. It can also be difficult to find, and it only stays healthy in water for up to five weeks (a week less than many other tree types).
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The Colorado blue spruce is ideal for those apartment dwellers that love to put their own wintry twist on the holidays. Due to its unique bluish hue, this particular tree is best decorated with cool colors and silver for a distinctly North Pole vibe. Its branches are nice and sturdy for those especially heavy ornaments, so no worries about them sliding off and breaking.
Unfortunately, the Colorado blue spruce drops needles frequently, whether it's kept watered or not. So, keep that vacuum and/or broom handy, because you're going to need it! Although some of these are nice and fragrant, others are not at all, so there's an inconsistently wide range of normal.
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If you're looking for a magical, movie-worthy Christmas tree, look no further than the Fraser fir. The needles are the perfect green hue, and not prickly at all. This tree loves cold winters, and its slender shape can fit nicely in any small apartment.
Another reason the Fraser fir is a great holiday guest is that it retains most of its needles, as long as it's watered on a consistent schedule. No endless vacuuming is necessary! In fact, it has serious lasting power, and stays fresh for up to six weeks! However, be ready to fork over extra cash compared with other trees, as the Fraser fir is one of the pricier models out there.
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Although the Scotch pine's needles are sharp, they don't fall off very often. This keeps the tree's shape and your apartment delightfully tidy! Heck, even if you forget to water it on a strict schedule it still retains its needles.
One downside to the Scotch pine, however, is that there's not a lot of space between branches to hang ornaments. As a result, use more minimalist decorations on the tree. Instead, compensate by using more garlands, ribbons, lights and tinsel to make it as festive as possible.
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Those apartment dwellers who are extra limited on space might do best to choose a real tabletop spruce tree for holiday decorating needs. They're affordably priced and are around three to four feet tall, which makes them perfect atop a side table or bookshelf. Just be careful when you water it, since wayward water can damage the furniture it's on top of.
As opposed to other small trees, like the rosemary tree, the spruce tree thrives inside dark apartments. As long as it's watered, it will survive the length of the holidays, and then some! Some tabletop spruces can even be planted in the ground post-Christmas, which is always a nice thing to do for Mother Earth.
Take steps to care for your Christmas tree to keep it fresh and beautiful for as long as possible. Fortunately, it's so easy that even people who kill houseplants can handle the short-term commitment. Here are the steps:
Obviously, if you chose an artificial Christmas tree for your apartment you can just sit smugly back and admire your ultra low-maintenance option.
No matter which tree you choose, any of these options are sure to make a festive addition to your apartment this Christmas season. If something really sticks out to you as a major benefit or drawback with a particular type of apartment Christmas tree, however, write it down for next year. Santa isn't the only one who makes lists!
A freelance writer based out of the Atlanta area, Alia has penned articles during her decade+ career for such sites as HowStuffWorks, TLC, Animal Planet, Zillow and many more. Her favorite things to write about include fitness, nutrition, travel, healthcare and general lifestyle topics. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Alia’s an avid Dawg, but she also loves reading, sewing, eating all things chocolate and playing sports with her husband, three boys and beloved border collie, Flash.