It is coming up to that time of year again when the Christmas trees go up, becoming the centrepiece of our family festivities We will cover their branches with beautiful baubles, gifts for friends and families lovingly wrapped underneath its branches and sparkling lights.

However, with rising electricity prices, it is only natural to wonder if fairy lights, as pretty as they are, are going to cost you a small fortune which could be reflected in your utility bill, the answer thankfully is a resounding NO. Most people have an average of 2 strings of lights, so if you were to keep your lights on for 6 hours a day then 0.08kW x 6 will mean a 0.48kW output – this would mean a whole month of Christmas tree energy would cost you £2.48 – at £24 hours a day, the average cost would be £9.79 – using LED bulbs would cost you even less!.

So now we know that your Christmas lights are not going to have a huge impact on your budget, it is important to get your Christmas tree right, so at David Phillip Estate Agents here are a few tips on helping you choose which is best for you – a real or fake Christmas tree this Christmas

Cost – a fake tree may cost a little more than a real one bit if you use it year after year you’ll end up saving money and that cost saving over the years could be huge. We invested in a lovely Balsam Hill tree three years ago, which I will look forward to dressing again this year, it is easy to put up and includes the lights already fitted!

Environmental – Real trees don’t contribute to de-forestation as you may think, Christmas tree growers tend to plant one to three trees per tree cut down – a tree will generally take between 10-12 years to grow, however, many different bugs, fungi and parasites can attack and kill trees, so farmers may use pesticides to keep consumers’ trees healthy until they are harvested. However a fake tree may have twice the carbon footprint of greenhouse gasses of a real tree, although real trees do end up in landfill, and decomposing trees and nutrients back into the earth.

Convenience – when you do haul your ‘fake’ tree from the loft, you won’t end up with pine needles all over the place or bring microscopic mould spores into the house (that can set off allergic reactions in some people), and you won’t have to trawl around various tree grower outlets looking for the ‘perfect’ tree with the hassle of transporting it home, dragging it through the hall and erecting it straight and balanced – and again think of all those pine needles!

Cosmetics – fake tree manufacturers have really got their act together and have improved so much that they can just look like the real thing – we have a silver birch from Balsam Hill – it looks so realistic and comes fitted with hundreds of sparkling white lights which look amazing and are put on better than anything I would have the patience to do!

Safety – fake trees are usually flame retardant which is really important for large public buildings such as hospitals, airports and stately homes. When real trees dry out they can become quite flammable – fake trees are also better for allergies. Always remember to unplug the tree before leaving the house or going to bed

However, when all things are considered, if you do find the most beautiful real tree then it can be perfect for Christmas. – and, if you are wanting to see an amazing Christmas tree, we always visit Castle Howard and Harewood House at Christmas – their trees and decorations are amazing.

So… if you are looking to sell your house, have your market appraisal and photographs taken before the Christmas decorations go up, although they will look lovely throughout December, you don’t want signs of Christmas on your property listing, and remember there is an audience spike in the number of viewers on Rightmove from Boxing Day to January.

If you are considering selling your home in 2023, beat the Christmas rush by calling David Phillip Estate Agents on 01134 676 400 for a free market appraisal w:davidphillip.co.uk a: 86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds, e:  info@davidphillip.co.uk

Covering Leeds, North Leeds, Bramhope, Adel, Cookridge, Pool-in-Wharfedale and Huby