Lidl is selling a 7ft Christmas tree for under £40. It’s perfect for serving up maximum festive spirit on a budget.

It’s true that the best artificial Christmas trees can be expensive. The best and most realistic models can easily set you back hundreds of pounds. And while many of us would like the best Christmas decor, this isn’t always financially viable.

Luckily, plenty of affordable Christmas decorations and budget Christmas decorating ideas are available, and the Lidl Livarno 7ft Artificial Christmas Tree (£39.99) is the latest bargain buy to catch my eye. Here’s why.

LIVARNO 7ft Artificial Christmas Tree

At just £39.99, this is one of the most affordable 7ft Christmas trees I’ve seen. It’s even beating the bargain B&Q 7ft Valais Christmas tree (£50) on price, and I was impressed enough with that one alone.

But not only is the Livarno tree more than £10 cheaper than the B&Q tree, but it also has more branch tips. Branch tips contribute to how lifelike and ‘bushy’ your tree looks, and the more a tree has, the more realistic it tends to look. For example, the B&Q Valais tree has 1007 branch tips, while Lidl’s has 1160. So, while it won’t look as lifelike as high-end trees (like our best-rated tree, the John Lewis Cotswold Tree, which has 4725 tips), it is more likely to look lifelike than B&Q’s tree.

Lidl describes its tree as a ‘detailed replica with dense branches.’ It’s made up via a three-part folding design, which makes storage easier when the tree is not in use. It also comes with a three-year warranty. While Lidl has described the tree as 7ft, within its description the tree is listed as being 210cm or 6ft 11”.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Nassima Rothacker)

The tree comes with a metal stand and floor-friendly caps to keep it upright, although you probably want to cover the base with one of this year’s pretty Christmas tree skirts to try and maintain the illusion of a real tree.

Norway £39.99, I don’t imagine you’ll easily mistake this tree for a real fir. But it is a brilliant budget alternative if you can’t afford to spend a fortune on Christmas trees this year. I personally opted for an affordable tree a few years ago (Habitat’s 5ft Fibre Optic Warm White Star Christmas Tree, £30 at Argos) and love it. By the time the lights are switched on and it’s been adorned with my favourite baubles and tinsel, I really don’t care how realistic it looks. In fact, I love its cosy lights.

Lidl’s tree lands in stores today (5 November), and due to its affordable price, it’s likely to sell quite quickly. If you are unable to get your hands on one, here are a few more trees we recommend.

B&Q 7ft Valais Natural Effect Hinged Full Artificial Christmas Tree - Green

This 7ft tree is on offer as part of B&Q's Black Friday sale event. Be quick, it won't be on sale for long!

Habitat Habitat 5ft Fibre Optic Warm White Star Christmas Tree

I have this tree in my 1-bed flat and it fits beautifully. While I won't mistake it for a real tree, it is good quality and the lights look beautiful.

Habitat Habitat 6ft Imperial Christmas Tree

This is Ideal Home's best-rated budget tree. It's incredibly affordable and can easily be jazzed up with the right decorations.

Would you try out Lidl's 7ft Christmas tree?