Tiny Christmas Trees, Tremendous Cheer: Maximizing Holiday Spirit

How do you bring the spirit of Christmas into every room? Set a Christmas tree on a table or countertop.

Tiny Christmas trees are making a big impact in holiday decorating these days, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are tabletop trees versatile and stylish – they’re downright adorable!

A realistic tabletop Christmas tree adds personality in places a full-size tree can’t, such as a bookshelf, cabinet or kitchen island. Their aesthetic ranges from elegant to rustic, serene to playful, and everywhere in between.

Let’s take a closer look at how to introduce a tabletop Christmas tree into your holiday decor.

A tabletop tree is small – about the size of a potted plant. In fact, its compact size is a table top tree’s superpower, since you can tuck one just about anywhere!

In many cases, you won’t even need to rearrange your furniture to accommodate a mini Christmas tree, a fact that makes them perfect for small homes and apartments.

While you can buy a small potted live tree, artificial tabletop trees have several advantages. They don’t require garden soil, watering or pruning and they don’t shed needles.

Also, the branches on mini artificial trees are sturdy enough to support ornaments, whereas the branches on a small live tree might be too pliant for most decorations.

Unlike a large Christmas tree, they take up little storage space and can be part of your holiday decor year after year.

Even better, tabletop Christmas trees tend to be very affordable, which means you can buy more than one and spread the cheer all around the house!

While a small Christmas tree and a tabletop tree are similar, the two styles are not exactly the same.

What size is a tabletop Christmas tree? Christmas Central considers mini Christmas trees up to 24 inches tall ideal to use on a table.

Trees up to 18-inches work well on fireplace mantels, shelves, benches and countertops, while trees 18 to 24-inches are ideal for consoles, side tables, coffee tables, buffets, dining tables and dressers.

To be sure your table top Christmas tree fits just right, the height and diameter of the tree should be proportional to the area where it will be displayed. A tree that extends too far beyond the table edge is more likely to be brushed against and knocked over.

If you’re looking for something larger but not yet full-sized, consider a small Christmas tree up to four feet in height. These pair well with mini trees and can also complement your full-height tree.

Once you’ve chosen the right size, it’s time to think about where and why mini trees shine.

Tiny trees are so versatile, the real question is: “Why not use a tabletop Christmas tree?”

They’re easy to use, take up little space and need just a handful of decorations to make them sparkle. They’re also small enough to move from table to table or room to room when the mood strikes – or when you need a spot for the hors d'oeuvres.

Unlike a live tree, artificial trees come in many styles. In addition to natural-looking realistic trees, you’ll find potted table top Christmas trees in casual through formal containers, rustic trees with pinecones or berries and flocked Christmas trees with special wintry style.

In addition, they’re just the right size to combine with other decorations and are a practical option when a full-size tree isn’t manageable.

They look stunning in a group: Achieve a high-end look for your foyer or living room with a group of small and tabletop prelit Christmas trees.

Wherever you place it, a small tabletop Christmas tree can extend the warm spirit of the holidays throughout your home.

Plus, tiny decorative Christmas trees make thoughtful, easy-to-ship gifts! Buy one for yourself and an extra to bring to a hostess or to brighten the day of someone in senior care.

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Miniature Christmas trees can be used just about anywhere you might put a potted plant, which makes them a widely adaptable Christmas decoration. A small decorated Christmas tree can extend glimpses of your holiday theme throughout your home or complement the style of a particular room.

Popular and creative places to use a tabletop tree include:

• Dining table centerpiece

• Stool in living room or family room

• Around the fireplace

• Table in front of a window

• Entryway table or bench

• Kitchen island

• Bathroom counter

• Guest bedroom

• Home office

• Foyers

• Covered porches

While they’re a great alternative for apartments, your space doesn’t need to be small to get a style infusion from a tiny tree. Scatter them around the house, use them to accent your main Christmas tree or group them with other small trees for impact.

Its small size makes decorating a tabletop Christmas tree both fun and a challenge, opening up a slew of decorating options.

Should you keep your tree natural and undecorated, copy the decor of your main Christmas tree or explore fun themes? Buy teeny Christmas tree ornaments or make your own?

In general, it’s best not to overpower your tree with decorations that are too large or heavy, but there are ways to decorate and keep things at scale.

For example, you can twine narrow holiday ribbons through the branches or decorate the tree with tiny bows. Add beaded garland or berry sprays. Don't forget the mini tree topper!

Make your tree part of your overall decorating scheme by surrounding it with other holiday decorations and tabletop decor. You can even pair your mini Christmas tree with a complementary wreath or garland.

Change the look of a potted tree by popping it into a new container. Experiment with baskets, ceramic pots, buckets, bowls – even an old Christmas cookie jar!

On the other hand, leaving your tree undecorated is a simple yet sophisticated look with minimalistic charm.

Artificial Christmas trees come unlit – without lights – or pre-lit, with lights already attached.

There are pros and cons to each choice.

Unlit tabletop trees are easy to use right out of the box. There’s no need to buy batteries or find a spot for the tree near an electrical outlet.

Unlit trees project a simple aesthetic that aligns with natural, neutral, country and farmhouse decor.

However, they also offer an opportunity for you to add your own lights and customize the look any way you would like. Explore lighting options like mini LED Christmas lights and warm white or softly colored fairy lights. Novelty lights in a multitude of playful designs, including tiny candy canes, stars, snowflakes and reindeer, are perfect for themed Christmas trees.

Alternatively, tabletop-sized warm white pre-lit trees add a glow to dimly-lit or out-of-the-way spots. Illuminate a dark foyer, add radiance to a dining table or an extra gleam to your fireplace mantel. A mini Christmas tree with lights might even help lead guests to your powder room.

Battery-operated lights make it even easier to place your tiny Christmas tree anywhere you like, even if there isn’t a convenient electrical outlet.

Budget-minded buyers will appreciate the fact that there is very little difference in price between an unlit and prelit tabletop Christmas tree of similar style and height.

To find the most realistic artificial Christmas trees in any size, look for trees that contain a high proportion of polyethylene (PE) branches. These PE branch tips, molded to look like real pine needles, provide a much more realistic look than classic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) needles.

While realistic full-size Christmas trees can range widely in price, the cost of small lifelike and classic mini trees are similar. Christmas Central offers an excellent selection of small realistic Christmas trees that fit most budgets, to offer a high-end look with little expense or fuss.

If you’re ready to start decorating, here are a few of our best mini Christmas trees that fit a variety of styles and spaces.

A fun and stylish addition to your holiday decor, little Christmas trees can spread cheer to new areas of the home in ways you may never have considered.

Even after the ornaments are packed away, a small pine tree remains a timeless symbol of nature’s calm through the colder months, echoing the age-old tradition of marking the winter solstice. Well beyond December, the presence of a tiny evergreen in the home evokes the serenity of this serene winter season.

To keep your decor seasonal and stretch the decorative muscle of your little tree even more, swap out ornaments for seasonal touches, like hearts for Valentine’s Day or pastel ribbons for spring, for a display that evolves with the year.

Browse our selection of small Christmas trees, as well as our large selection of artificial Christmas trees to find a size and style you’ll be excited to introduce into your home. 

Tabletop Christmas trees up to 24 inches tall are a charming way to welcome holiday cheer at your front door. Since most entry tables are 30-36 inches high, a tree no taller than 24 inches keeps the proportions balanced. Foyers can be busy spaces, so choose a tree with branches that stay within the table’s edges to avoid accidental bumps.

Small artificial Christmas trees are an easy way to add holiday spirit in any room. Their compact size makes them especially suitable for small spaces like home offices and dorm rooms.

The smaller the Christmas tree, the less space you need to store it. Pack it into a sturdy box, Christmas storage bag or plastic container to keep it clean and undamaged and it will stay beautiful for many years. Depending on the size and quantity, you can even store multiple mini Christmas trees in less space than you would need for a full-sized Christmas tree.

Why not put a twist on the concept of the holiday floral arrangement or candleholder and use a small artificial tree as the centerpiece for your dining table? Line multiple pre-lit tiny trees down the middle of the table or set a single decorated mini Christmas tree in the center.

Mini trees with battery-operated LED lights and sturdy bases are the best choice to use in a child’s playroom or bedroom. LED lights stay cool to the touch, plus battery operation means there are no electrical cords to worry about. Look for trees set in a weighted pot that is less likely to tip over.