It's officially December and for many people, this weekend will involve decorating their Christmas tree. Whether you go for an artificial one, or a real one, the arrival of the tree marks the official start of the festive season.
There's no end to the decorations you can buy and anyone who's taken a trip to Bents Garden and Home will know just how elaborate its festive displays can be.
READ MORE: The ultimate guide to Christmas events for kids in Manchester
Inspired by one of its many tree displays this year, I decided to replicate it with a tree and decorations from budget store B&M.
My idea was to emulate the theme and colour scheme of Bents' Apres Ski design, with 'frost and glitter taking centre stage' and where 'shades of blue provide the perfect accent against snowy whites and silvers'.
First things first and I had to price up the garden centre display. The tree alone - a 7.5ft pre-lit Snowy Dorchester Pine - was £429.99, but has since been reduced to £343.99.
As for the decorations, I was there quite some time counting and pricing up the numerous ones on the tree.
With everything from wooden snowflakes and owls, to 'night blue' baubles and clip-on flowers, the ones I totted up amounted to almost £700 - and that wasn't everything. This meant the total for the Bents tree was a whopping £1,000 minimum.
I was sure I'd be able to do something pretty similar at B&M for much less. The tree most similar to the Bents one is B&M's pre-lit Canterbury Christmas Tree, priced at £200.
At 7ft tall, it's only slightly shorter and is already pre-decorated with glitter, berries and pinecones for an 'authentic woodland look'.
Never before have I studied how many tips a tree has - I didn't even know this was a thing - but the Bents one is up there with 2,994 tips - compared with B&M's 1,146 - and it has more lights, 600 compared with B&M's 450.
Despite that, I'm not convinced the quality looks any different and I was surprised by how stunning and expensive the B&M tree appeared once covered in the decorations.
The ones I used were mostly from the store's Midnight range, with some silver and white ones added. A large pack of 51 silver baubles, in assorted designs, went on first, costing just £15 for the lot.
I then added some luxury Midnight and glitter filled baubles, costing around £5 for a pack of six, some pinecones costing £3 for a pack of four, and some wooden snowflakes for £2.50 each.
Some 'Nordic ice' decorations - large clip-on flowers, feather baubles with glitter tips and feather topped baubles, from £2.50 each - provided the frosty feel, with silver leaves, hearts and even a jewel-covered locket that opens adding that sparkling touch.
Among my favourites are the teardrop-shaped Midnight glamour baubles, which cost £3 each, and the light up decorations with festive scenes inside, for £3.50 each.
Of course everyone needs a tree-topper, and, while I've always gone with a fairy in the past, the silver star, £6, fit perfectly with the theme.
And, with such a special tree, I decided to make the perfect finishing touch with a wicker tree skirt for £24.
All in all it came to less than £375, at least a third of the price of the one from Bents. That's a massive saving on something that I'm sure you'll agree looks just as good.
A spokesperson from B&M said: “We’re delighted that our Christmas collections have proven so popular, and customers can create a variety of on-trend looks dependent on their taste at a fraction of the price. Our Midnight Glamour and Nordic Ice collections especially so, as they enable customers to bring a sense of premium luxe to their festive look.
"Our 7ft pre-lit Canterbury Snowy Christmas tree is priced at just £200 to complete the look and feel at a much lower cost than you’ll find at other retailers.
"Our Midnight Glamour look channels a more opulent festive aesthetic, yet with a minimalist and sophisticated feel. Think deep blues and peacock hues with this bold and statement-making Christmas look dripping with the elegance of Gatsby glamour. This nocturne trend will fill your home with a new form of modernism.
"The Nordic Ice collection is inspired by Nordic forests and landscapes that have been frosted and touched from tip to toe in snow. The range features decorative accessories with glass and cracked glazed finishes alongside sparkles and snowflakes to bring the magic of a white Christmas into your home.
"Prices to recreate this look start at just £1.50, and the Midnight Glamour and Nordic Ice collections are available now in B&M stores nationwide.”
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