Faux Trees Light Up The Holidays (NAPSA)—Decking the halls just got a lot easier. With built-in lighting, easy assembly and virtu- ally no maintenance, artificial trees suit the needs of plenty of busy folks during the holidays who are traveling or just want to simplify their lives. Thanks to advances in technology and design, most people can’t tell the difference between a fresh tree and a faux. And faux trees are available in several “species” to match popular real-tree varieties such as balsam fir, noble fir and white spruce. “While putting up the family Christmastree is supposed to be a joyous event, many people dread it because of the tangled web of lights and electrical cords,” said Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association. “Because faux trees come pre-lit, they set up quickly and will last for a decade or longer.” Following are some tips on the latest tree technology to look for: Realism: When buying a faux tree, look for one that appears as realistic as possible. Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Company is best known for having the most realistic trees on the market. Their BH Balsam Fir was named “best overall” artificial Christmas tree by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute last Decemberfor its beautiful color and natural-looking branches. New this year are the Rogue River Spruce with the colors and shape to embody the beauty of trees on the West Coast and the alwayspopular Norway Spruce. Green Lights: The majority of faux trees purchased these daysare pre-lit. A few indoor trees come with energy-saving LED lights. In the past, LED lights were best suited for outdoors New typesof artificial trees feature natural-looking branches and comein shapes resembling real trees. due to their harsh glow. But Candlelight LEDs, new this year, cast a candle-like glow that makes these LEDsa natural for indoors, too. Fast Festivities: The most convenient artificial tree on the market is the Instant Evergreen, which can be set up in less than five minutes. The tree is stored flat and resembles a holliday wreath. With a few simple steps, just about anyone can set up this tree quickly. Good Things, Small Packages: Not enough room for a tree? The Fifth Avenue Flatback is a half-tree designed to fit in small spaces, like an urban studio apartment. Borrowing a design trick from Hollywood, this innovative tree features the samerealism of a full-sized tree. However, with its flat back against a wall, it only extends about 25 inches from the wall. For more information or to check out the latest in tree technologies, visit www.balsamhill.com.
