With Christmas less than a month away, it's time to take holiday decorations out of storage and decide which decorations to buy new. One of the most difficult decisions of the holiday season is choosing an artifical Christmas tree; you want a tree that looks real, but at the same time is affordable and good quality.

Whether you have a traditional home or apartment, or prefer a more contemporary look, you are certain to find a Christmas tree from the recommendations below to transform your home into a holiday haven.

If you are on a budget, Wal-Mart customers highly rates these three artificial holiday trees:

  • Holiday Time Pre-Lit 7.5' Prescott Christmas Tree, Green, Clear Lights, $199.00. 1

    The tree's 1,854 branch tips and 800 pre-strung mini lights will remain lit if one burns out.
  • Holiday Time Pre-Lit 9' Lakeview Christmas Tree, Green, Clear Lights, $249.00.

    The tree features 2,832 branch tips and 1,200 pre-strung mini lights.
  • Holiday Time Pre-Lit 12' Williams Christmas Tree, Green, Clear Lights, $249.00.

    This tree has 2,930 branch tips and 1,100 pre-strung mini lights that remain lit if one burns out.

Good Housekeeping rated these two artificial trees as the most realistic and best value:

  • Good Housekeeping panelists tested and loved the plentiful lighting on the GE 7.5' Just Cut Fraser Fir, which has a retail price of $298. The Fraser Fir has a foot-pedal on-off switch for lights and an electrical connection for your tree top decoration.

    You can find this attractive tree at Lowes.
  • Panelists rated the 7.5' Balsam Hill Fir "Best Overall." Its true green color and the natural-looking branches won over panelists. Its $999 price tag is expensive, but it comes with extras: a foot-pedal for switching the lights on and off, an electrical connection for a tree top decoration and two zip-up bags for storing the tree.

    You can purchase the tree at BalsamHill.com.

Bob Vila, home renovation and interior design expert, recommends three high-quality and affordable artificial Christmas trees:

  • The Classic Pine Pre-Lit Full Christmas Tree, available on Hayneedle.com, is profusely decorated with lights. You can choose clear or multicolored lights. Sizes range from 5-1/2 feet to 9 feet. Pricing starts at $199.99.
  • The traditional Douglas fir from ChristmasLightsEtc.com comes in three different profiles: full, medium, and slender, which makes it a nice choice for small or large spaces. The green, realistic foliage comes with your choice of clear or multicolored lights. Height sizes range from 6-1/2 feet to 14 feet. Pricing is between $369 and $2,179.
  • The Glacier Tree with Pinecones from GKI/Bethlehem Lighting replicates the fullness and realistic look of a freshly cut evergreen. It has 1,280 tips of rounded foliage lightly dusted with icy frost and removable pinecones. The tree is pre-strung with 700 clear- and white-frosted lights. The Glacier Tree measures 7-1/2 feet tall and 66 inches wide and comes with a 10-year unlimited warranty and costs $540.99.
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