Bring home a sprinkling of festive magic by choosing your perfect real tree from Northern Christmas Trees in Newcastle.
When the giant inflatable Santa pops up on Great North Road in Gosforth, you know the time has come to go shopping for your real Christmas tree!
I’ve been buying mine from Northern Christmas Trees for over 10 years, so you could say it’s become an annual tradition for me.
This family-tun business has been going for over 25 years and they source their trees from sustainable plantations in Lamesley, Northumberland, West Scotland, Devon, Denmark and Holland.
I’ve always been impressed by the quality of their trees and I love the festive-filled experience they create for shoppers year after year.
If you’re planning on buying a real tree from them this yuletide season, here’s what you need to know.
The joy of real Christmas trees
My love for real Christmas trees began in my mid-20s. I was working for a PR agency at the time and was given the British Christmas Tree Growers Association as one of my main clients. Cue lots of research into real trees to help me secure coverage in national magazines, newspapers, radio and TV.
After discovering the benefits and charm of real trees and meeting lots of passionate people from the Christmas tree growers’ community, I said no to faking it each year!
So, what makes a real Christmas tree so special?
Real Christmas trees are naturally beautiful thanks to their lush green pine needles and variety of shapes and sizes. Each one is unique and they need few decorations to look picture-perfect with all your presents stacked underneath.
For me, their fresh scent is the definition of a festive aroma – entering my living room every morning throughout December is (almost!) like I’m stepping into a miniature pine forest.
Many environmental benefits are also associated with choosing a real tree.
Firstly, they have a lower carbon footprint compared to plastic ones. During the 10-12 years it takes to grow real trees, they provide an essential habitat for wildlife and they also capture carbon from the atmosphere.
Once discarded, artificial trees usually end up in landfill and can take hundreds of years to decompose, whereas a real tree can be recycled, and it’s a more sustainable option all-round.
Did you know?
St Oswald's Hospice offers a Christmas 'treecycle' service in January, where they will collect trees from selected NE postcodes for a small donation.
Trees available to buy from Northern Christmas Trees
Northern Christmas Trees stock popular Nordmann Fir and Norwegian Spruce trees.
They come in a variety of sizes, from petite one metre-high trees to over five metres tall. Prices start from just £49.
These traditional Christmas trees are pre-cut and displayed by species and height, making it really easy to locate your perfect tree.
A selection of pot-grown Christmas trees are also available to buy. These are grown from a seed or cutting and, unlike potted trees that have been dug up from the ground, they still have their root ball intact.
You’ll also find handcrafted holly wreaths and tree stands that you can re-use every year.
Tips for choosing your tree
Go prepared! Measure the area inside your home where you plan on putting your tree so that can choose one with the right height, depth and width, and take a tape measure with you.
Once you’ve decided on the type and size you’d like, it’s time to get testing to ensure your top pick will be long-lasting and see you through to the New Year.
Begin by checking the colour of the needles, which should be a luscious green.
Next, run your fingers along a few branches – the needles should feel glossy, not dry.
Then, lift the tree up a few inches and tap it on the ground or shake it gently to see if it sheds any needles. Very few needles – if any at all – should fall off a fresh tree.
And make sure you pick a tree that’s fully on display and not still covered in its original netting. You want to see its shape from all angles and check its condition.
Once you’ve found ‘the one’ – the helpful staff from Northern Christmas Trees will cover it in netting and even help with carrying it to your car.
A home delivery service is also available, priced from £15.
A festive shopping experience
Northern Christmas Trees have made tree shopping an enjoyable experience.
As I previously mentioned, there’s a huge inflatable Santa, and the space is decorated with pretty fairy lights. It feels like an enchanting corner of a large woodland and you instantly forget that you’re next to a busy road.
I recommend wandering in between the rows upon rows of trees and soaking up the atmosphere before you get stuck into your all-important tree selection process.
You can also sip on a free mulled wine or hot chocolate from the on-site marquee.
Location and opening hours
Northern Christmas Trees are located in McCracken Park, within the grounds of Northern Rugby Club in Gosforth.
They’re open daily between 7am and 11pm from now until a few days before Christmas, or sometimes earlier if all their trees sell out (look out for announcements on their Facebook page).
For more information about Northern Christmas Trees, visit www.northernchristmastreesgosforth.com.
