Why Flocked Christmas Trees Remind Us of An Old-Fashioned Christmas

Let it (faux) snow.

By Grace Haynes Updated December 10, 2020

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

Icy white and pale pink filler ornaments set a backdrop for statement-making metallic textured balls and geometric spindles. Modern-day steel magnolias will flip for blush-and-bashful accents like mauve plastic foam flowers. Blue floral wrapping paper completes the wintry scene.

| Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

A white Christmas can be more than just a dream with a flocked tree. A tall evergreen dusted with a blanket of faux snow helps turn the living room into a winter wonderland. Flocking refers to the artificial white powder that's applied to a Christmas tree's bare branches. Create this popular look yourself with store-bought sprays or powders that can be used on real and artificial trees, or buy a faux one that's already been flocked.

Flocked trees probably bring back memories of old-fashioned Christmases your mother or grandmother may have had one twinkling in her living room window at one point or another. This wintry look for Tannenbaums became popular around the mid-1900s, when glittery tinsel and metallic ornaments also took off as all-the-rage Christmas tree decorations. However, people were adding snowy touches to their Fraser firs way before then with pantry staples like flour and cornstarch. Flocked trees bring the holiday magic of a snowy evergreen forest indoors, and the trend is clearly here to stay.

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Flocking is an easy way to give your Christmas tree a whole new look. By doing it yourself, you can have more control over how much "snow" sits on the branches. Buy flocking spray-paint (like Santa Spray Snow, $5; thehomedepot.com) or powder (like SnoFlock Genuine Original Snow Flocking Powder, $23; seasonsreflection.com) to apply to a real or synthetic tree. Follow these eight easy steps for flocking your own Christmas tree here.

Or splurge on a tree that's already flocked. Bring it to life with festive decorations like metallic ornaments, colorful garlands, and bright lights. Top off your twinkling Tannenbaum with a shining star or a big bow with cascading ribbon. Shop of few of our favorite flocked Christmas trees below.