Hot apple cider is mulling on the stove, those cookies look too good to eat, the fire is crackling in the fireplace, and the kids and the dogs are tearing ‘round and ‘round the Christmas tree. It’s a heart-warming scene…Until the tree catches fire, gets knocked over by the cat, Artificial Christmas trees are an excellent option during the holiday season, as they can be safer than conventional Christmas trees.

Not every artificial tree is the safest tree for your home and family; you’ll have to do your homework. Make sure your artificial Christmas tree meets the following requirements.

Fire-retardant. Having the glowing Christmas tree next to the crackling fire fulfills the ideal Christmas fantasy. Unfortunately, real trees are highly combustible and, once they catch fire, they can take out an entire room before a body can react. This is dangerous and tragic. One of the safer aspects of artificial Christmas trees is that they are oftentimes sprayed with a fire-retardant. Fire-retardant doesn’t mean that the tree is fire-proof; it only means that the tree can resist flame longer and the fire is slower to spread. It is always recommended to keep a working fire extinguisher in the same room as your tree! You can fulfill that Christmas fantasy by putting your artificial Christmas tree a bit closer to the fire, as long as you take precautionary measures, such as using a fire screen.

Four-legged stands. A four-legged stand has an “x” shape, which provides stability and balance for the tree. If a child pulls on a branch, the artificial Christmas tree will remain standing. Avoid three-legged stands and plastic stands. For the most stability, double check that your tree comes with a four-legged metal stand. And, some even come with little rubber pads to protect your floors.

Pins to secure the tree. The tree stand should come with pins to secure the tree. Artificial Christmas trees from 4’-6.5’ should have 1 pin; trees up to 7.5’ should have at least two pins; anything taller than 7.5’ should have three pins. The pins are just like the ones in conventional tree stands and secure the tree within the stand, providing more stability.

Trees made to give. Sorry, we’re not talking about presents! We’re talking about the tree’s ability to “bend” while being pulled. The artificial Christmas tree should be assembled in sections, which allows the tree to bend a bit without toppling over.

Dense trees. Artificial Christmas trees that have many branches is good for tree owners with small pets that like to climb, usually cats and ferrets. Make sure that the branches in each row alternate spaces, and that branch tips run the entire length of the branch. If an artificial tree is assembled like this, then it is too dense for a pet to climb.

Warranty included. Things happen to artificial Christmas trees, no matter whose “fault” it is, and a good warranty will cover the tree and the lights. So even if your tree catches fire or your teenage sons land a touchdown and topple it, you can get replacement parts for your tree and Christmas can continue as usual!

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