Where to buy a Christmas tree in London
Discover our guide to buying a Christmas tree and Christmas tree delivery in London
Unearthing the box of decorations is clearly the hard part, but choosing your Christmas tree is a crucial part of the season's festivities. Keep things simple with Time Out's tips on which type to get, where to buy, online delivery and how to get rid of your tree in the New Year.
Know your Christmas trees
Think all Christmas trees look the same? What are you, some kind of tree-racist? Needly evergreens, as any botanist will tell you, belong to three different families: spruces, firs and pines. Firs are popular (and expensive) as they don’t shed their needles. Ask your tree grocer which is which.
Calculate your dimensions
Do you know how high your ceiling is? Do not buy a tree until you do. Also, remember that a trussed-up spruce will expand once you get the netting off. You can always chop away unnecessary branches. A spindly six-footer can be trimmed to a classic teardrop-shaped four-footer without too much work (although remember that children under 12 should not handle chainsaws unsupervised).
Where to get your Christmas tree…
Two big Christmas tree giants dominate the London fir scene: Pines & Needles and The Christmas Forest. They both have branches (no pun intended) across the capital. Pines & Needles (0845 4582788) usually stocks five types of tree from the Norway Spruce to the non-drop Nordmann Fir. Extra tall sizes in both trees are available at selected areas in central London. You can also bag a mini white spruce Christmas tree - perfect for table tops.
The Christmas Forest usually stocks four different varieties, including the classic Norway Spruce and the non-drop Nordmann Fir. If you’re tightening your belt this year, hang on until December 6, when the Richmond branch introduces its budget trees.
For Christmas trees delivered – buy online
Pines & Needles deliver a range of trees, complete with decorations if you so wish, and you can even have them take it away when it’s ready for the chipper (NB: Your council should also recycle trees – see www.recycleforlondon.com). Prices are as varied as the trees on offer, but it does promise to beat any quote. You can get UK-grown trees from Stockeld Park in Yorkshire, and if you want deluxe Christmas lights for your tree, Xmas Direct has an impressive selection – from tiny fairy lights to huge glowing nets that you can drape over your entire house.
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