Christmas in the UK could look markedly different in years to come, after tree growers warned that the country’s hottest summer on record and severe drought could lead to future shortages.
The extreme weather has raised concerns about this year’s crop. Oliver Combe, who runs York Christmas Trees and is supplying the tree for No 10 this year, said he had lost 2,000 newly planted firs.
The 57-year-old described it as a “tough year” for growers, with “no proper rain since Easter”. He added: “For the first time we have had losses in what we planted last year.”
Growers are now urging the public to wait until the start of December before buying a tree. But what happens if you cannot find one?
Retailers are promoting alternatives featuring metal branches and skeletal wooden frames, with prices starting at just £15. While they may not replicate the magic of a traditional evergreen conifer covered in lights, tinsel and ornaments, they offer a practical option.
From woven wicker cones to collapsible wall-mounted designs, these minimalist creations made from steel, iron and pine could offer a glimpse of Christmases yet to come.
IKEA’s ‘Strala’ LED tree stands 1.5 metres tall, features 180 diodes and offers several light modes for indoor or outdoor use.
British homeware brand Cox&Cox sells a “magical and majestic” light-up tree measuring almost 10 feet tall and priced at £135.
IKEA’s ‘Vinterfint’ pine frame can be adjusted to the buyer’s preferred width and shape, then decorated with baubles, tinsel and fairy lights.
IKEA is selling a £15 wooden, wall-mounted alternative Christmas tree. Its designer, Mikael Axelsson, said the festive design was inspired by a “common knob rack”.
The ‘Vinterfint’ pine frame can be shaped to the buyer’s preferred width and decorated with baubles, tinsel and fairy lights. The flexible tree can also be folded away for easy storage after Christmas, or used throughout the rest of the year to hang coats, backpacks and hats.
The versatile wall-mounted tree has an overall customer rating of 4.6 out of five, with shoppers praising its straightforward assembly and affordable price.
“I love this and have used it for the last two years. It has had many positive comments,” one five-star reviewer wrote.
The Swedish retailer is also offering a new tree of lights launched this season. The ‘Strala’ LED tree is 1.5 metres tall, has 180 diodes and comes with different light modes for indoor and outdoor use.
George by Asda, meanwhile, has introduced a five-foot wooden Christmas tree with a star on top, priced at £35.
Listed under the retailer’s festive furnishings range, the indoor tree has a 4.6 out of five rating based on 28 reviews, although it comes with a 30-day warranty.
Reviewers said it was easy to put “together and decorate”, with one even describing the design as “cat-proof”.
George by Asda has launched a five-foot wooden Christmas tree with a star on top, priced at £35.
George by Asda has also unveiled a three-foot black metal conical “hanging baubles tree decoration”, priced at £20.
Cox&Cox’s Christmas range includes a £75 woven wicker cone described as a “unique” alternative to a traditional tree.
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Cox&Cox is also selling a smaller £40 ‘Scandi Metal Christmas Tree’ fitted with hooks for hanging baubles.
One shopper wrote: “A modern Christmas tree that looks fabulous — easy to put together and very versatile, as it can be made into a full circle or kept slightly flatter when space is limited.”
However, a two-star review offered a less positive assessment: “Really wobbly, not stable at all. Returning for a refund.”
The retailer has also launched a three-foot black metal conical “hanging baubles tree decoration” costing £20.
Cox&Cox’s “magical and majestic” light-up tree stands almost 10 feet tall and costs £135.
Its description reads: “Magical and majestic, our festive Outdoor Light Up Tiered Tree has a black metal frame and hinged branches that fall into position to reveal elegantly shaped boughs sumptuously outlined with cluster lights.”
The large LED tree is designed to create a “stylish outdoor scene” or serve as a distinctive centrepiece inside the home.
Cox&Cox’s festive collection also includes a £75 woven wicker cone, described as a “unique” alternative to a conventional tree, and a smaller £40 ‘Scandi Metal Christmas Tree’ with hooks for hanging baubles.
Debenhams is offering another option: an “ornament display stand” designed to resemble a Christmas tree. It costs £80, although it is currently available at nearly half price.
Made from “sturdy iron”, the stand has branches that are individually secured to a central pole to “prevent sagging” when fully decorated. Tesco is selling a similar five-foot design with a star on top for nearly £100.
By comparison, the Christmas Tree Farm in Orpington told Our News Outlet that it sells a real tree of a similar size for about £60.
Debenhams is selling an “ornament display stand” designed to look like a Christmas tree for £80, although it is currently nearly half price.
Tesco’s Christmas ornament stand costs nearly £100.
The changing Christmas tree market comes as a survey suggests that as many as one in 10 Britons will put up their tree this week.
Four in 10 people believe the traditional 24-day countdown is too short. Once Halloween decorations have been packed away, 17 per cent said they start to feel festive.
More than a quarter of those surveyed have already begun bringing out their decorations and listening to Christmas music.
Meanwhile, 22 per cent said they would be watching festive films such as It’s A Wonderful Life and, arguably, Die Hard.
Celebrations chocolates, which commissioned the survey of 2,000 adults, described the trend as “Christmas-maxxing” — an attempt to extend the festive season beyond December.
Other ways people are prolonging Christmas include buying new decorations, as 21 per cent do, putting up the tree a month early, as 20 per cent do, and purchasing Christmas pyjamas or presents throughout the year, a habit reported by 18 per cent.
