It's mid-November, which means two things: the shops are getting busy and someone in the house is already asking when the tree's going up. Here's the good news. With the right three pieces, the whole thing takes about 15 minutes, and nobody has to untangle a single string of lights.
1. Start with a tree that's already lit
The Jingle Jollys 1.8m Snow Flocked Christmas Tree ($116.99) comes with 350 warm white LEDs built in and eight light modes, from steady glow to gentle twinkle. It has 828 tips with a soft snow-flocked finish, sits on a sturdy metal stand, and goes together without tools. Slot the sections in, fluff the branches, plug it in. That's most of your 15 minutes.
Tip: fluff from the inside out, bottom row first. It makes a 1.8m tree look fuller than its height.
2. Hide the stand with a plush skirt
A bare metal stand is the one thing that makes an artificial tree look unfinished. The Jingle Jollys Plush Tree Skirt, 120cm ($25.99) is soft white, fastens with built-in straps, and is machine washable when the festive season is over. At 120cm it comfortably covers the tree's 105cm base, with room for presents to sit on top.
3. Add one string of lights somewhere else
The tree is the centrepiece, but a little glow on the mantel, a window or a bookshelf ties the room together. These 6m Christmas Fairy Lights ($64.99) have 40 warm white LEDs shaped like Santas, snowmen, candy canes and wreaths. They're battery powered (3 x AAA, not included), so no hunting for a spare power point, and the built-in timer runs them for six hours a day and switches off on its own.
The 15-minute plan
- Minutes 0 to 8: assemble the tree, plug in and pick a light mode.
- Minutes 8 to 11: fluff the branches, bottom to top.
- Minutes 11 to 13: wrap the skirt around the stand and fasten the straps.
- Minutes 13 to 15: pop batteries in the fairy lights and drape them along the mantel or window.
Then add your own baubles whenever the mood strikes.
Shop the set
- Jingle Jollys 1.8m Snow Flocked pre-lit tree: $116.99
- Jingle Jollys 120cm plush tree skirt, white: $25.99
- 6m 40-LED Christmas fairy lights: $64.99
Total: $207.97, with Australian delivery. Christmas deliveries get busy, so it pays to order early.
Want to tweak it?
- Smaller budget: the Jingle Jollys 1.8m Optic Fibre LED Tree ($57.99) brings colour-changing sparkle for less.
- Higher ceilings: go up to the 2.1m Snow Flocked Tree ($178.99) with 500 LEDs.
- Simpler lights: the 2m Snowflake String Lights ($26.99) are a lovely small touch for a shelf or bedside.
