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Original poster

Or do fake trees always look crap?

250 replies

heyyyottoe · 13/12/2025 16:41

So I treated myself to a Balsam Hill tree and I’m honestly shocked at how shit it looks.

All my previous trees weren’t great but I thought buying this brand would be better … how mistaken I was.

so sparse and ugly. If I ever bother to decorate I’ll just get a real tree from now one.

OP posts:
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35
Original poster
heyyyottoe · 13/12/2025 16:45

This is what i ordered and this is what I got …. Holy shit I’m taking this back.

Or do fake trees always look crap?
Or do fake trees always look crap?
OP posts:
pizzaHeart · 13/12/2025 16:47

no, a lot of them look really nice. DH and I were at b&Q a few weeks ago and even there we saw lovely looking fake trees.
Sorry that you’ve been unlucky with yours.

TooWittyToWoo · 13/12/2025 16:48

Wells it’s doesn’t look great. Have you fluffed all the branches? I would also say you need a fucktonne more baubles on there. They’re all a bit samey, in a matte finish and none on the inner branches.

TFMinx · 13/12/2025 16:49

That’s not the same tree. You also have to spread and fluff out the branches a lot on fake trees.

123feraverto · 13/12/2025 16:49

We got ours from a garden centre last year , for a fake one I think it’s quite nice and bushy

Or do fake trees always look crap?
OttersMayHaveShifted · 13/12/2025 16:49

I don't like fake trees at all. We always have a real one. It's not just the look, it's the smell I like too!

StrawberrySquash · 13/12/2025 16:50

That does look much sparser than in the photo. Have you done any fluffing necessary? Although it still looks like it has fewer branches than the picture.

I was disappointed looking at fake trees in John Lewis. The ones with 'realistic' were a mix of that tinselly stuff and realistic branches and didn't look great. I thought they'd be nicer somewhere like John Lewis.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 13/12/2025 16:50

Yep they do always look crap (sorry)

JemimaTiggywinkles · 13/12/2025 16:50

They look crap cos they’re fake. Some are bushier than others. But none come close to the beauty of a real tree.

BMW6 · 13/12/2025 16:50

The tree you've got bears absolutely no resemblance to the one you ordered!

Lots of inexpensive trees look way better than that!

Or do fake trees always look crap?
theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 13/12/2025 16:51

123feraverto · 13/12/2025 16:49

We got ours from a garden centre last year , for a fake one I think it’s quite nice and bushy

No harm to you but it looks nothing like an actual tree though.

JudgeBread · 13/12/2025 16:51

That tree does look a tad crap, I'm sorry!

Doesn't mean all fake trees look crap.

I've seen some really beautiful fake trees. They do need a good deal of fluffing to look as nice as the one pictured though, they're rarely nice out of the box (and I think you need approximately a metric fuck tonne more decorations).

OopOop · 13/12/2025 16:52

I’ve never seen one that I would consider even a passable substitute for a real tree.

smallsilvercloud · 13/12/2025 16:53

I would of sent it back, balsam hill are not cheap and it looks nothing like the photo, I’ve seen better ones in B&Q

InterestedDad37 · 13/12/2025 16:53

It's all just more plastic tat, the stuff that will have any future humans shaking their heads in disbelief 🤷🎄

crazeekat · 13/12/2025 16:53

I would be sending yours back for that price!! Uve been unlucky, some trees are really gorgeous and last for years like mine.

TippledPink · 13/12/2025 16:54

I always think real trees look quite sparse and can't bring myself to put a dead tree in my house.

Have you done enough fluffing? It can take ages and you have to pull the branches out, there will be smaller pieces attached to each branch you need to fluff out up and down to ensure coverage.

OopOop · 13/12/2025 16:57

TippledPink · 13/12/2025 16:54

I always think real trees look quite sparse and can't bring myself to put a dead tree in my house.

Have you done enough fluffing? It can take ages and you have to pull the branches out, there will be smaller pieces attached to each branch you need to fluff out up and down to ensure coverage.

See I couldn’t bring myself to put a pretend plastic dead tree in my house! I think the whole concept of a fake tree is really odd!

ItsmeMargo · 13/12/2025 16:59

I’d say they’ve sent you the wrong tree. I’m pretty sure they have more sparse trees for sale, and I think that is one of them.

Get onto them ASAP. I had a massive issue with Balsam Hill about returning a damaged tree before, so if they try and fob you off: don’t accept it.

edited to say: get yourself off to Christmas Tree World - much better quality and great service.

BogRollBOGOF · 13/12/2025 17:02

OopOop · 13/12/2025 16:57

See I couldn’t bring myself to put a pretend plastic dead tree in my house! I think the whole concept of a fake tree is really odd!

Show quote history

We got a fake one because we weren't at home over our early Christmases together, then it seemed daft not to actually use it. It's done over 20 Christmases now so while it's not the most beautiful thing in the world, it is a well established tradition and has tipped over its eco-credit into being long term more sustainable.

It had one year off the year I had a Christmas baby and it was simpler to buy a tree in a pot from Wilkos than fail to get my humungus body through the loft hatch 😂

ItsmeMargo · 13/12/2025 17:04

It looks like this sad specimen.

Or do fake trees always look crap?
Minjou · 13/12/2025 17:05

JemimaTiggywinkles · 13/12/2025 16:50

They look crap cos they’re fake. Some are bushier than others. But none come close to the beauty of a real tree.

Lots of real trees look shit. Lots of fake ones look great.

StuffyHuffyPuffy · 13/12/2025 17:06

Let the great debate begin 🍿😁

justasking111 · 13/12/2025 17:07

For Balsam Hill that's grim. An influencer I know was sent one to promote. Now that was beautiful.

We have a fake ASDA one. Cost around £120 15 years ago. Still going strong. Very lush no gaps.

ChopstickNovice · 13/12/2025 17:08

This is our fake one from the White Company. I like it! We could probably make it look better by fluffing the branches even more but I am lazy. People have mistaken it for a real tree! It's on its 4th year.

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