How to Assemble a Prelit Christmas Tree

Christmas tree with lights and decorations
Courtesy of Simon Phillips

Artificial Christmas tress have come a long way in recent years and are increasingly chosen by many people over natural ones. Not only do modern artificial trees made from PVC or PE look realistic, they have the advantage of lasting much longer than the real thing. A good quality artificial xmas tree should last for around 10 Christmases if it's looked after and stored carefully. Prelit Christmas trees come ready-strung with lights on the branches, saving you the hassle of untangling the strings every holiday season. Here are some tips on how to set up your prelit xmas tree quickly and efficiently, and some guidelines on storing it after the festivities.

Inspect the Lights

First of all, check the lights are working properly. It's easiest to do this by plugging in a section at a time, before you assemble the tree. Usually artificial trees have 3 or 4 separate sections. Replace any burnt out, broken or missing bulbs at this stage, before you put the tree together. If your tree is new, now in the time to remove any sticky labels or paper tags on the lights, so they're not visible once the tree's up.

Use WD-40

Set up your tree stand and then take the bottom section of your tree. A handy trick to use here is to spray a small amount of WD-40 onto the metal pole to make it easier to fit into the stand. This will also make it easier to dismantle the tree at the end of the holiday season. Repeat this one each section as you assemble the tree.

Wear Gloves

Once all the sections are in place and the tree is assembled, you can fluff out the branches to make them look fuller and more lifelike. It's a good idea to wear gloves to do this, so your hands don't get scratched on the wire tips. Work from the top of the tree downwards until you're happy with how it looks.

Storage

How you store your Christmas tree for the rest of the year is important if you want to keep it in good condition for the next holiday season. Take all the sections apart and store everything in the box the tree came in or in a purpose-made xmas tree storage bag. Place it in a cool, dry place and avoid areas that are susceptible to damp. If you can, stand the bag or box vertically, so as not to squash the branches or damage the lights.

This article is courtesy of Simon Phillips of Christmas Trees Source, which offers a selection of different types of artificial Christmas trees and decorations.