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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree

174 replies

Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 20:16

As a big treat got a Balsam Hill tree - I’ve bemoaned my other trees for years and don’t like the smell or mess of real trees.

Now it’s great, and Pre-lit etc.. but for the price, I don’t know, I expected it to look amazing- it’s nice enough - but not quite as “wow” as I was expecting.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
33
70sWitch · 03/12/2019 21:01

@paddingtonthebear. Oh yes. That's fab.

2018SoFarSoGreat · 03/12/2019 21:01

lovely trees.

In truth, did you ever really look at a decorated Christmas tree and think 'oh, that is one ugly fugly tree'? Nope. I'm so taken with the ornaments and the twinkling lights and the whole magic of it all, the actual tree is irrelevant.

I think. I hope :)

theclockticksslowly · 03/12/2019 21:04

I’m starting to get nervous... I bought a BH tree (European silver fir if anyone else has one) in their big summer sale. I didn’t get it out of the box and will be putting it up this weekend. Obviously too late to send back if it is rubbish!

Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:04

The £60 Christmas tree

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
OP posts:
70sWitch · 03/12/2019 21:05

@Timinfuckingruislip thank you. I'm thrilled with it. No actual pics yet. It's brand new.

And yes DO NOT advertise for a fluffer lol

Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:06

Oh I don’t mean to worry anyone - it’s a nice tree and am sure will look good when decorated. I think I’m just a bit crap with trees!

OP posts:
frostedviolets · 03/12/2019 21:07

Just my opinion of course, but I'd be massively disappointed with that tree OP sorry.

I thought the other photograph of the other balsam hill tree on here looked poor quality too.
Sorry again to that poster.

The Christmas tree world tree pictures on the other hand looks absolutely fantastic!

Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:07

@70sWitch can you imagine... now step
Inside - I habe fluffer gloves in case things get a bit prickly. Grin

OP posts:
Celebelly · 03/12/2019 21:08

We almost got a BH one in the sale but got a 7ft WeRChristmas one instead for half the price which is really nice and bushy. I think yours does look a bit unhappy OP but then I'm not sure if that's maybe the way that one is meant to look?

I'm quite pleased with ours as I got bored of fluffing very quickly so I'm sure it could be better, but I just wanted to decorate! Ours does multicoloured lights as well as white too so I have the colours on when DD is up and then a more sedate white when she is in bed! Grin

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
JaceLancs · 03/12/2019 21:09

I love my tree - it’s at least 20 years old and was about £15 from B n Q in sale
Fluffs up well and it’s about how you decorate it
DD came round tonight and gave me a new bauble and I cried (admittedly it was personalised)

Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:09

@MaddieElla I think that looks lovely.

OP posts:
70sWitch · 03/12/2019 21:11

In truth, did you ever really look at a decorated Christmas tree and think 'oh, that is one ugly fugly tree'? Nope. I'm so taken with the ornaments and the twinkling lights and the whole magic of it all, the actual tree is irrelevant.

There's some truth in this. This is my old tree. No realistic branches and it was getting a bit tired and threadbare but decorated etc it looked pretty nice anyway

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:13

Love seeing all the decorated trees btw!

OP posts:
Celebelly · 03/12/2019 21:14

Did it post? Hmm

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
Celebelly · 03/12/2019 21:14

Whoops now there are two

70sWitch · 03/12/2019 21:14

. now step
Inside - I habe fluffer gloves in case things get a bit prickly. grin

😂😂

flouncyfanny · 03/12/2019 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 03/12/2019 21:15

just over £200. On sale

Celebelly · 03/12/2019 21:17

Also OP I love your username. That's one of my favourite bits Grin

Bluewavescrashing · 03/12/2019 21:17

Personally I wouldn't spend that amount on a tree. If you're not happy, return it. They all look fab when decorated anyway!

70sWitch · 03/12/2019 21:18

I'm also enjoying seeing the trees. More please

Zofloramummy · 03/12/2019 21:20

My £55 wilko tree, decorated by my lovely dd. Actually my favourite artificial tree in ages. It has lovely uplifted branches and is nice and wide.

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
Original poster
Timinfuckingruislip · 03/12/2019 21:22

@Celebelly my second favourite episode! Only occurred to me when someone thought I was a man posting that many wouldn’t get the reference Grin

OP posts:
RufusthebewiIderedreindeer · 03/12/2019 21:22

Tree is 29 years old

Dh said we can look for a new tree so watching this thread with definite interest

To be a tad disappointed with my balsam hill tree
MelissaCortezsPastry · 03/12/2019 21:22

Looking at your pic you need to fluff more, especially where your top section has been put on, aim for sideways fluffing and upwards fluffing for each row of branches. Your tree should look exactly like the BH picture of your tree. Look at the photo on the website to show you (on the close up) what you are aiming for.

The first year is the worse for fluffing due to be so tightly packaged, year 2 becomes much easier. Mine is a spruce. Looks exactly like the picture on BH website. Not to be rude but myself and my two children fluff the tree, they know which way to do it for an amazing result.

There are videos on YouTube from BH showing you how to fluff a branch. My tree has 2 types of branches (it is currently in the loft so this is from memory) one of them has the branch end split into 3, so pull one left, one right and fluff the individual branches up, left and right, they should overlap each other which gives you the no gap result. The other one I think just forks.

They are good enough for the Albert Hall, and the branches are moulded using real tree branches for a realistic look. I love my Balsam Hill tree. If it has any gaps (and doesn't have gaps in the photo on their website) then you need to fluff it more.