The £1 tinsel hack making Christmas trees look fuller and more realistic: game-changing for artificial trees

Is your tree starting to look a little lacklustre as the years go by? Try this affordable trick to make it look fluffy and fabulous

Rustic living room with an artificial Christmas tree with traditional decorations to show the Christmas tinsel hack in action
(Image credit: Future | Simon Whitmore)

After years of use, artificial trees can begin to look less 'merry and bright' and more 'patchy and light'. So if you're looking for a fuller tree but don't want to spend a hundred pounds on a new one, this tinsel trick might be for you.

Unlike how long real Christmas trees last, artificial models can be in your possession for several years. And while it's great that they last longer, they can often begin looking bare and sad without us noticing. Even after you've tried all the Christmas tree decorating ideas, it can be a little lacklustre.

Luckily there's an ingenious solution to this problem and it costs just £1. That's right, you can regenerate your tree for a fraction of the cost of a brand-new one.

The £1 tinsel hack transforming Christmas trees in 2024

Before you decide on your Christmas tree theme this year you might want to give it a little inspection and see if it could use some TLC.

With the festive season being expensive as it is, buying a new fluffy tree each year is something most of us simply cannot do and of course, it would seem like such a waste. This is why when we saw this hack we just had to share.

Sharing the reel on her Instagram @houseofhaz, Kirsty says, "Green tinsel is my must-have Christmas hack of the year… put it around your tension poles around your bannisters and through your tree to fill out those gaps."

The product, a two-metre length of natural green tinsel is used by Kirsty to bulk out the inside of her Christmas tree making it appear fuller. The tinsel, now just £1 at B&Q, is probably the most effective and affordable home hack we've seen in months.

The green tinsel is a great match for most traditional tree models. However, if you've experimented with an alternative Christmas tree colour you might not be able to find a matching tinsel.

Don't worry about running out of room for your favourite coloured tinsel, Kirsty simply wraps it loosely around the centre of the tree giving it a fuller look without taking up any decorating space.

It wasn't just us who were both impressed and ready to recreate, several users commented with their excitement.

"Such a good idea. I’m sure my tree is getting a few bald spots," says one user.

picture of christmas tree with decorations and lights

(Image credit: Future)

Users were also offering more creative suggestions for using natural tinsel around your home to decorate. One suggests, "I've just bought some similar from Dunelm for my tension rod. It's such a great idea to fill them out!"

So if you don't need to use it as a way to make your Christmas tree look more expensive there are several other ways. You can even work it into a Christmas centrepiece idea to set the scene for the big day.

Shop alternative tinsels


Once your tree is revived and before party season begins why not refresh yourself on some of the most essential hosting tips? There's nothing quite like being prepared for guests and avoiding that panic-fuelled tidy.

Emily Smith
Digital lifestyle writer

Emily joined woman&home as a staff writer after finishing her MA in Magazine Journalism from City University in 2023. After writing various health and news content, she now specialises in lifestyle and home writing where she covers all things cleaning, interiors and homeowning.