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King of Christmas trees — do they live up to the hype?

Looking for gorgeous artificial Christmas trees that don't look fake? Check out this brand

Festive interior with decorated Christmas tree and fireplace
New Africa / Adobe Stock

When mulling over the most festive Christmas decoration ideas to pursue, a lot of people shy away from the thought of using artificial Christmas trees – and for good reason: they look, well … fake. Historically, it has been pretty hard to find a tree that has any sort of semblance to a Fraser, Douglas, Balsam, or Noble Fir unless you are ready to invest a small fortune in a gorgeous Balsam Hill tree.

However, over the last few holiday seasons, influencers have been sharing photos of their gorgeous, realistic-looking Christmas trees (decorated to perfection, of course!), attributing them to a brand called King of Christmas.

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Let’s talk about artificial trees

King Flock Tree
King of Christmas / King of Christmas

The artificial Christmas tree market traditionally branches off into two categories. The first? Incredibly high-end, high-quality, real-looking trees, at a price point that matches, with companies like Balsam Hill, National Tree Company, and Frontgate dominating the market. The second category consists of more affordable, but cheaper, looking and feeling trees — the kind that inspire many to shy away from artificial trees altogether.

King of Christmas decided to fill the gap in between when they launched their collection of high-quality Christmas trees at an affordable and attainable price in 2012. The influencer scene quickly embraced the brand, sharing photos of their own perfectly decorated firs and spruces, and the brand quickly gained a cult following.

While the company offers a variety of options — flocked or unflocked, short or tall, Frasier Fir or Spruce, unlit or pre-lit – their trademark models are their “King” and “Queen” flock trees, speckled in incredibly real-looking snow. The main difference between the models is the amount of branches that fill them.

Does King of Christmas live up to the hype?

King noble tree from King of Christmas
King of Christmas / King of Christmas

Due to the fact that many influencers will promote almost anything if the money is right, we were a tad skeptical that King of Christmas trees would live up to the hype. After all, with the right lighting, you can make almost anything look real. However, we were pleasantly surprised when a box containing a King of Christmas 7.5 Queen Flock Prelit Tree arrived on the doorstep. The large cardboard box contained three parts of a tree, a metal stand, a pair of gloves, and a storage bag—everything needed to completely set it up and even store it after the holidays.

Many artificial trees can be not only heavy but a little tricky to set up. But not this one. While they recommend two people to accomplish the task, getting the tree assembled and standing upright can be easily done by one person in just five minutes. It takes an additional 15 or so to spread out all the branches. Once this is done, you simply plug the tree in and it is ready to be decorated. The whole start-to-finish process was easy-breezy compared to other fake trees.

As for aesthetics, the tree is actually quite gorgeous. Obviously, snow isn’t sustainable indoors, so nobody is going to walk into your home, see a flocked King of Christmas tree, and ask if it is real. However, other than the flocking, the branches are strong and the needles are incredibly lifelike. The tree is honestly very luxurious and even quite regal-feeling, making it well-deserving of its name.

As for the lights, there are a few different settings, including one that is bright, another that is dim, and a few with beautiful flashing patterns.

How long do the King of Christmas lights last?

Closeup of a bulb on a Christmas tree
Lori Sparkia / Shutterstock

Pre-lit Christmas tree lights typically last around 3,000 to 5,000 hours of use, depending on their quality and maintenance. However, King of Christmas pre-lit trees are designed with premium LED lights that are both energy-efficient and long-lasting, often outlasting standard lights. With proper care, these lights can illuminate your holiday season for up to 25,000 hours.

Additionally, King of Christmas trees come with a warranty, ensuring peace of mind and support in case of any issues. Their durability and longevity make them a standout choice for festive decor.

Other decor offerings

King of Chrsitmas wreath
King of Christmas

Obviously, Christmas trees are what put King of Christmas on the map. However, they also have an extensive collection of other festive decorations, as well as wreaths and ornaments, that are definitely chic enough for even the top influencers.

Cost and purchasing

Christmas decorations ideas
avikki / Adobe Stock

The least expensive tree that King of Christmas offers in an unlit 8-foot Prince Flock Pencil for $139. Their most expensive trees, mostly 12 to 15-footers, retail for $999. The fuller, taller trees they are famous for tend to fall around the $300-$500 price point—which is actually quite reasonable for the high-end tree that is going to last you season after season.

What kinds of trees does King of Christmas offer?

Christmas tree with stars in pastel living room
Мария Балчугова / Adobe Stock

King of Christmas offers a variety of trees to choose from. Homeowners looking to update their Christmas decor will be pleased by King of Christmas’ large selection. Whether you’re looking for a classic evergreen, a tree with flock, a Fir with perfectly spaced lighting, one with no lights at all, or even a tree in a non-traditional color like pink, King of Christmas has it all.

Nearly all of their trees come in both lit and unlit versions, so you can have perfectly spaced LED lighting with minimal setup or purchase an unlit tree that gives you more freedom in your decorations. Also, trees like the King and Queen Flock or the Rushmore Flock offer the perfect hint of fake snow for a more wintery aesthetic. And for those who favor a more colorful and non-traditional option, King of Christmas’ Duchess Flock comes in both pink and blue for something truly unique. Currently, you can order them straight from the King of Christmas or via its Amazon store.

King of Christmas offers beautiful, realistic Christmas trees that will wow holiday guests for years to come. Although some influencer-promoted brands fall short of expectations, we were delighted to find these trees more than live up to the hype.

Leah Groth
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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