I Bought This Realistic 6.5-Foot Christmas Tree for My Apartment, and You Should Grab It for Next Year, Too

While choosing a live tree can be a fun holiday tradition, artificial Christmas trees are so much more practical.

It’s a one-time spend that will last for years — my family has had the same faux tree for upwards of a decade, and it still looks stunning. So, to add a little je ne sa quais to my New York City apartment this year, I opted for this National Tree Company Artificial Christmas Tree from Amazon: It’s so perfect, I don’t even think the Grinch could find fault with it.

National Tree Company Artificial Full Christmas Tree, Green, Dunhill Fir, Includes Stand, 6.5 Feet

$131 at Amazon

Related: The 12 Best Artificial Christmas Trees We Tested from Balsam Hill, National Tree Company, and More

Standing at a whopping 6.5 feet tall, this artificial Christmas tree towers over most of the sidewalk-sale live trees I’ve passed around the city. It arrived in a compact box in three sections that I easily put together in about 45 minutes. It would have taken less time, but I opted to spread out all the branches from each section before attaching the next level, and that fluffing absolutely paid off. Bonus: It comes with a tree stand.

The tree looks incredibly realistic. Each branch has spindly green faux pine needles attached to brown connectors designed to look like real sticks (and they don’t shed). They’re also sturdy enough to hold even the heaviest ornaments. It comes unlit (preferable since lights burn out over time), so I found some twinkle lights to string throughout the branches which brought such a festive warmth to my little abode.

You can select which height you’d like, depending on your ceiling and where you’d like to place your tree, as it comes in sizes ranging from 4 feet to 28 feet. It’s made with a durable PVC plastic that’s both hypoallergenic and fire-resistant, according to the brand.

When Santa has flown back to the North Pole and you’re ready to take your tree down, it folds up and fits back into the box with ease. Compared to dragging your live tree out to the curb to end up in a landfill — perhaps the saddest part of the holiday — you can just pack it away to inspire Christmas magic next year.

Related: The Best Christmas Tree Storage Bags We Tested to Safeguard Your Tree Until Next Year

But don’t just take my word for it. More than 3,000 shoppers have bought this tree in the last month, and over 9,300 awarded the artificial Christmas tree a five-star rating. One shopper wrote, “The tree looks incredibly realistic with its dense, full branches and natural green color.” Others complimented the easy assembly and sturdy structure.

You don’t need a real tree for Christmas (they make Balsam candles for a reason) — snap the National Tree Company Artificial Christmas Tree up for next year so you can enjoy the holidays without any hassle. Ahead, more artificial Christmas trees from National Tree Company that PEOPLE tested and loved.

More National Tree Company Artificial Christmas Trees at Amazon

National Tree Company Pre-Lit 'Feel Real' Artificial Full Downswept Christmas Tree

$207 at Amazon

National Tree Company Artificial Slim Christmas Tree

$77 at Amazon

National Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Full Christmas Tree, White

$235 at Amazon

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