Start planning for the Christmas season now to take the stress and strain out of the holiday season. One perfect way to save time and money is to buy an artificial Christmas tree.

Let’s face it, real Christmas Trees are a hassle. Everything about the process is unpleasant except the smell. Whether you harvest your own or go to a lot, it’s always cold and takes forever. Then you have to get it home. After that there’s prepping it and putting it in the stand. A million needle pricks later you spend three weeks watching it die and cleaning up needles and trying to water it.

My family gave up on this years ago when we inherited my parents old tree when they upgraded. That tree was from the time they looked more like brushes than trees. The first year we were convinced it was the way to go. A few years ago we upgraded to a better tree that looks more real and donated our old tree.

Here’s the things to consider when buying a Artificial Christmas Tree. First is height. The great thing about fake trees is they are the size you want. Most Trees are sold in one foot increments starting at 4’ and generally going to 10’ tall. Make sure you consider whether you have a topper like a Star. 7’ trees tend to be the most popular and versatile.

Consider the shape. Artificial Trees have the great advantage of being shapeable. Bend the branches to fit a corner or a wall. Also consider that there are different shapes of artificial Christmas Trees. You can find slim trees, wide trees, half trees and even upside down trees. Choose the best shape for your needs. Keep in mind the trees are pretty versatile. When our children were young, we left bottom branches off so we could fit the huge presents (like trucks) under the tree. As they got old the presents got smaller (and more expensive) so the branches now go on the tree.

Pick your variety. Artificial Trees come in most popular varieties, so if you like a Spruce, get a Spruce. Balsam and Spruce are the most popular but you can choose from many styles.

Choose your options. Artificial Christmas Trees are going high tech. You can not get them with a few option. Lights are certainly the most popular option but you can also choose colored trees and flocked trees. Lastly there are decorator trees made to be ready to go.

Lastly, invest in a tree bag. This will help with storage and make your tree last longer.