The secret scenting weapon I use every year to make my artificial Christmas tree smell real – I tricked so many of my friends last year

Think you can't beat the scent of a real tree? You've not tried this trick

Christmas tree with front door
(Image credit: Future PLC)

I grew up in a real Christmas tree house, so when people say 'you can't beat the smell of a real tree,' trust me I get it. However, when I switched to an artificial Christmas tree a few years ago I discovered the next best thing: The White Company's Fir Tree room spray and diffuser.

I invested in an artificial Christmas tree two years ago. It was a practical choice as a London dweller who doesn't have a car (or driving licence) to cart a real tree in and out of my house. I opted for one of the most realistic and best artificial Christmas trees you can buy from The White Company in a cute 4.5ft. However, it was just missing that Christmas tree smell...

Fir Tree is a lovely woody scent with notes of eucalyptus, pine and cedar. It is one of the only scents I've come across that smells just like that moment when you cut the netting off a real tree at home. There's no fake sweet undertones, just the perfect refreshing pine scent.

Spritzing my faux tree with the room spray, which costs £18 a bottle, is how I first started our fooling myself and guests into thinking my little one was the real deal (I fooled quite a few of them too!).

The White Company mini christmas tree infront of a fireplace with wooden stars and paper chain

This is my little tree From The White Company last year, with the diffuser tucked out of shot on the coffee table.

(Image credit: Future / Rebecca Knight)

However, for a longer lasting scent, last year I opted for the home scent gift set which included the fir tree diffuser, a candle and the room spray. The combination of the three meant my living room smelt like a fresh Christmas tree for the whole of December. I even used the spray to spritz my wreath for an extra scent boost when I walked in the front door.

If £18 is too steep, an option I'm going to trial this year is investing in the £12 fragrance oil which can be tapped onto ceramic decorations, like this set of 6 at The White Company. These then act as tiny (mess free) diffusers which you can top up with more scent next year.

If you have a faux tree will you be giving this scenting hack a go?

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend. 

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