Pre-Lit vs Unlit Christmas Trees: Which One Is Right for You?

Every artificial tree shopper hits the same fork in the road: buy a tree with the lights already on it, or buy a bare tree and light it yourself? Both are great choices. The right one depends on how much you enjoy stringing lights, how particular you are about the look, and how you like to change things up from year to year.

Let's break down the pros and cons, the warm white vs multicolor question, and how to decide.

What "Pre-Lit" Really Means

A pre-lit tree comes with lights already strung through the branches at the factory. You assemble the sections, plug it in and the whole tree glows. An unlit tree is just the tree, a blank canvas for whatever lights you choose.

The Case for Pre-Lit Trees

Pros:

• Faster setup. No untangling, no walking circles around the tree with a strand in hand.
• Even coverage. The lights are spread through the branches, not just wrapped around the outside.
• Tidy look. Wires are already tucked into the branches.
• Fun extras. Many pre-lit trees now include remotes, lighting modes, timers and even color switching.

Cons:

• Less flexibility. You get the light color and count the tree comes with.
• Lights and tree are a package. Some people prefer to replace lights and tree separately over the years.

A classic pre-lit choice is the 7 ft Pre-Lit Hinged Christmas Tree with 400 Warm White Lights. It's about 48 in wide with 1,072 branch tips, hinged branches and a foldable stand. The 6.5 ft Pre-Lit Hinged Spruce Christmas Tree has 450 LEDs woven in and 1428 branch tips, at about 40 in wide by 79 in tall.

400 Lights Say This Tree Means Business

7 ft Pre-Lit Hinged Christmas Tree with 400 Warm White Lights

$123.99MSRP $198.65

Classic Green Spruce With 450 Lights Built Right In

6.5 ft Pre-Lit Hinged Spruce Christmas Tree with 450 LEDs

$241.99MSRP $290.00

A Rainbow of Cheer From Top to Bottom

7.5 ft Pre-Lit Spruce Christmas Tree with 550 Multicolor LEDs

$173.99MSRP $265.98

The Case for Unlit Trees

Pros:

• Total control. Choose warm white, multicolor, cluster lights, globe lights or a mix, and change your mind next year.
• Light as much as you like. Want a tree that glows like a lighthouse? Add more strands.
• Easy to refresh. Swap your lights for a new look without replacing the whole tree.

Cons:

• More setup time. Lighting a tree well takes patience, especially on a big tree.
• More to store. You'll pack away the lights separately from the tree.

Unlit trees often put the budget into the branches. The 7.5 ft Blue Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree has 2148 PE and PVC branch tips and a cool blue color, and the 8 ft Unlit Artificial Blue Spruce Christmas Tree has 2848 tips at about 59 in wide. If you prefer classic green, the 7.5 ft Unlit Artificial Pine Christmas Tree is about 55 in wide at the base with 1,218 tips and auto-open branches.

Cool Blue Spruce for a Crisp Winter Look

7.5 ft Blue Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree with 2148 Tips, Unlit

$148.99MSRP $203.56

Eight Feet of Cool Blue Spruce for Your Big Room

8 ft Unlit Artificial Blue Spruce Christmas Tree with 2848 Tips

$172.99MSRP $246.89

Fluff It, Light It Your Way, Love It for Years

7.5 ft Unlit Artificial Pine Christmas Tree with 1,218 Tips

$203.99MSRP $328.00

Warm White vs Multicolor: The Great Debate

Once you've chosen pre-lit or unlit, the next question is light color.

Warm White

Warm white has a soft, golden glow. It feels cozy and elegant, and it plays nicely with gold, silver, neutral and pastel ornaments. It's especially pretty on flocked and white trees, where it adds warmth to all that snowy texture.

Multicolor

Multicolor lights are pure nostalgia. They're playful, bright and a favorite in homes with kids. They look great with red and green ornaments, candy colors and eclectic ornament collections. The 7.5 ft Pre-Lit Spruce Christmas Tree with 550 Multicolor LEDs has 1,075 PVC branch tips and a metal stand with floor-protecting feet covers. For tighter spaces, the 6 ft Pre-Lit Pencil Christmas Tree with 150 Multicolor LEDs is about 19.75 in wide.

Can't Decide? Get Both

This is where pre-lit trees really shine. Dual-color trees let you switch between warm white and multicolor whenever the mood strikes.

• The 7 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 500 Dual Color LEDs has 9 modes, 4 brightness levels, an auto timer and memory, all from the included remote. It has 1,181 PVC branch tips and comes with 2 pairs of gloves.
• The 6 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 350 Dual-Color LEDs offers the same remote features on a 6 ft hinged tree with 845 branch tips.
• The 5 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 250 Color-Changing LEDs switches between warm white and multicolor, with 11 modes, 3 timers and 4 brightness levels.
• The Christmas Tree with Remote-Controlled Color-Changing LEDs comes in 6, 7 or 8 ft and switches between 4 light colors and 9 lighting modes.

Warm White or Party Colors? Click and Decide

7 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 500 Dual Color LEDs and Remote

$190.99MSRP $306.68

Warm White or Full Color? Switch It With a Click

6 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 350 Dual-Color LEDs and Remote

$161.99MSRP $260.48

Warm White or Party Mode? You Hold the Remote.

5 ft Pre-Lit Christmas Tree with 250 Color-Changing LEDs and Remote

$248.99MSRP $379.98

Warm White Tonight. Rainbow Tomorrow. You Pick.

Christmas Tree with Remote-Controlled Color-Changing LEDs, 6, 7 or 8 ft

From $148.99MSRP $360.98

Want to control it from your phone? The Pre-Lit Hinged Christmas Tree with App-Controlled LED Lights comes in 7 or 8 ft, with 540 or 670 LEDs strung in 8 independent layers.

Lighting an Unlit Tree Like a Pro

If you go unlit, a few habits make a big difference.

1. Test first. Plug in every strand before it goes on the tree.
2. Work branch by branch. Instead of wrapping around the outside, weave lights from the trunk out toward the tip of each branch and back again. This gives the tree depth.
3. Start at the bottom near the outlet and work your way up, so the plug ends where you need it.
4. Match wire to branches. Green wire disappears into green trees. Clear wire blends with white and flocked trees.
5. Only connect strands the way the manufacturer allows, and use a timer so the tree isn't on all night.

Good strands to start with:

• The 76 ft Warm White LED Christmas String Lights have 200 LEDs, 8 lighting modes with memory and a 6 hours on, 18 hours off timer. They connect up to 4 sets end to end.
• The 82 ft 1000-LED Warm White Cluster Christmas Lights pack dense sparkle on dark green wire that blends into branches.
• The 66 ft 200-LED Multicolor Plug-In Christmas String Lights bring rainbow color with 8 modes.
• The 13 ft Connectable Mini Christmas Lights have 50 clear warm white mini bulbs on green wire, handy for filling gaps.

Seventy-Six Feet of Cozy Twinkle

76 ft Warm White LED Christmas String Lights, 200 LEDs

$21.99

A Thousand Twinkles Packed Tight

82 ft 1000-LED Warm White Cluster Christmas Lights, Green Wire

$82.99MSRP $99.00

Sixty-Six Feet of Rainbow for the Rooftop

66 ft 200-LED Multicolor Plug-In Christmas String Lights with 8 Modes

$56.99MSRP $70.00

Classic Mini Lights That Link Up for More

13 ft Connectable Mini Christmas Lights, 50 Clear Bulbs, Green Wire

$45.99MSRP $70.00

Bonus idea: The 66 ft Christmas Tree Ribbon Lights combine a 2.5 in wide ribbon with 200 LEDs, so you can add ribbon and extra sparkle in one pass. They run on batteries or USB, so they work on pre-lit trees too.

So, Which Should You Choose?

Choose pre-lit if:

• You want the fastest setup possible.
• You like the idea of remotes, timers and lighting modes.
• You can't decide between warm white and multicolor (get a dual-color tree).

Choose unlit if:

• You love the ritual of lighting the tree.
• You want a specific light style, like clusters or big bulbs.
• You like changing your look every few years.

A Few Safety Basics

Use lights and cords as the manufacturer directs, keep the tree away from heat sources, and turn lights off when you leave the house or go to bed. A timer makes that easy.

Shop Trees and Lights

Browse all our Christmas trees and Christmas lights. Still choosing a size and shape? Start with our guide on how to choose an artificial Christmas tree.

Orders ship from US warehouses and usually arrive in 5-10 business days, with free shipping on orders over $75 in the lower 48 and 30-day returns. Happy lighting!