Enjoy a Live Christmas Tree—Without the Full-Size Care—with a Tabletop Tree

You get all the benefits of a real tree without having to spend a lot or take on extra maintenance.

A big, live Christmas tree brings a sense of magic into the home during the holiday season—but depending on how much space you have and what maintenance needs you want to put up with, a full, real Christmas tree You might not choose the best option. If you don’t want to go artificial but can’t fully commit to a full-size tree, potted Christmas trees are the perfect on-trend solution. They give the benefits of a fresh scent and beautiful branches, but you don’t have to worry about the height of your ceilings or your pets or kids getting into the branches. It’s easy to add holiday cheer to your home or office by adding a tabletop, potted Christmas tree.

You can find a plethora of options at retailers online or your local home improvement store, and you can still decorate the tree to your heart’s content. Here’s a guide to decking out your own real tabletop Christmas tree.

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How to Choose a Potted Christmas Tree

You have many options for potted trees with festive vibes. You should read the care instructions carefully to find out how much sun and watering it needs and its preferred weather conditions. Potted Christmas trees may require more frequent watering than real ones.

This is how it works Norfolk Island Pine from The Sill: It’s a tropical evergreen, so it can last well past Christmas, and it only needs to be watered every couple of weeks. However, it doesn’t like the cold, so it’s best to keep it inside away from a drafty window. A fir could be as simple as this. Live Tabletop Christmas TreeThis is a sturdy branch for ornaments and the classic balsam fragrance.

In general, it’s best to keep your potted tree away from any heat sources, like vents or radiators, to keep them from drying out and needles from dropping.

Decorating a Potted Christmas Tree

The bonus of decorating a potted Christmas tree is you can make it look elaborate and elegant with little time and effort (it’s also more affordable than decking out a six-foot tree). Instead of buying multiple packages of string lights, one or two with smaller bulbs will likely suffice, or you can wrap tinsel or beads around the branches if you don’t want to deal with plugging anything in. You can add a finishing touch to your look by hanging mini ornaments.

Another way to up the festiveness is with the pot the tree comes in—paint it to match your holiday aesthetic or tie a bow around it. To get the complete Christmas experience, place your smaller gifts below your tree if you have the space.

Because your tree is smaller, you can move it around during the season. You can play around with the placement to find what works best for you. You can always bring it inside if it needs a warmer climate.