Point the brand new app at special markers along the trail andaccess all sorts of exciting challenges as you go. I opted for the pre-lit design because I was fed up with unravelling fairy lights from the box and wrapping them around the tree. It comes with 650 bulbs (I went for ‘Candlelight Clear’ for a more realistic option) and as soon as you plug it all together, it instantly lights up: unbelievably satisfying.

Given their cost, however, we wanted to know which are easy to put up, and which will look the most life-like in your living room. So, our Good Housekeeping Institute experts started the festivities early and tested a range of leading artificial tree brands to find the very finest for your home. As is so often the case with questions about sustainability, the most sustainable option would be foregoing a tree altogether. However, if you can’t be without one for the big day, then investing in a real tree that still has its roots means it can be replanted in your garden or in a larger pot and kept for next year.Below, we've also included the number of tips (the branch ends you can hang decorations off) where possible, as this helps give an idea of the finished look and just how many baubles you can hang. Lighting Our testers assemble each tree, timing how long it takes to put every branch into place and fluff them too. They award points for its realism, assessing the coverage provided and whether you can see the internal mechanisms or if it’s bushy enough to hide them. Most artificial trees are made of plastic, either PVC or polyethylene (PE). The latter is the more recent innovation and involves the use of moulds to create a more realistic look. Consequently, they also tend to be more expensive. Branch design We’ve tested seven of the trees below at the Good Housekeeping Institute (just look for the GHI Approved logo on the pictures). But in case they aren’t quite right (they’re all natural-looking, for a start), then our shopping editors have selected their favourite fake Christmas trees in a range of colours, styles and price points, so you can find the right one to bring your festive vision to life. Artificial trees tend to be non-recyclable and although you can reuse them each year, to avoid buying more plastic, real trees are generally the greener option. How we test artificial Christmas trees

According to Mac Harman, founder and CEO of Balsam Hill the best Christmas tree variety ultimately comes down to preference and taste. It's not an exact science.This is two-fold – as well as looking for full and realistic foliage, look at whether the branches are hinged, meaning they fall easily into place when you put the tree up or if you’ll need to hook each one in, which can take longer. Some need shaping too. The Nordmann Fir is perhaps the tree the UK is most familiar with. It’s the most popular Christmas tree in Western Europe, with what you might think of as the ‘traditional’ shape. The Nordmann Fir is a great option if you're looking for a timeless classic.' Thanks to amazing augmented reality technology, you’ll be able tocollect golden stars, just like Zog and have the chance to take a photo with everyone’s favourite dragon at the end of the trail! Collect golden stars as your little dragons learn how they can help care for the forest, and how the forests can care for them. This is the tree that won the coveted spot in my sitting room last Christmas, even convincing my husband - arch sceptic of artificial trees - that it was better than real. In my mind, Balsam Hill do the best luxury artificial trees (the brand was created after the founder had a family member with a tree allergy); the branches are designed based on clippings from real Nordmann Firs, with needles that are a dark waxy green on top, and gently curved to reveal a silvery underside–just like the real thing. The magic is in the PE moulded tips, and on this 7ft model there are 2,026 of them. Between the branches you can glimpse the trunk, which unlike some other models, has been designed to look like a real tree trunk to add to the naturalistic look.

Before anything else: measure your space. You may want a large tree that makes a big impact, but a squashed tree will look much worse than a well sized one. The average size tree is 7 feet, as this fits into the average living room. However, you can find trees anywhere between 4 and 12 feet tall.

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Different tree varieties offer different silhouettes. Some trees will offer denser foliage, or a fuller shape than others. You'll also need to consider the footprint of the tree variety and think about the space you have available. The European Fir, for example, is much wider at the bottom and tapers towards the top of the tree.' You expect a good-looking tree from The White Company, where everything is done in a quietly chic way. New for this year, I found their artificial Symons tree was another great option with hyper-realistic branches in a very natural shade of green that really do resemble the real thing.