Where to buy your Christmas tree this year

We know, we know, you can get a Christmas tree almost anywhere these days, but we’re all for making the experience a bit more special. And yes, some people will just grab the nearest tree at the last minute and others will have got on it early and booked their trees already. But if you’re like us and somewhere in the middle, then you might appreciate this mini-guide to our favourite local Christmas tree farms and suppliers, some of whom make the whole tree-choosing shebang a super-festive experience…

Ben GC’s Christmas Trees (our top pick)

Ben’s trees are great, Ben is great, he’ll deliver straight to your door for free (probably wearing a classic Crimbo jumper and dungaree combo for no extra charge). What’s not to like, right? And no, we weren’t paid for this. You can get a classic (read cheaper) Norway spruce or a beautiful premium non-drop Nordmann fir, both sourced and cut fresh from Kent’s Hole Park Estate, where they’ve been growing trees for over 60 years. And he’s got all sizes available, from petite four-footers to giant 16-feet beauties. Oh, for ceilings to accommodate one of those. Deliveries start on 23rd November and tree prices are from £32 (early bird prices until 10th November). He’ll also pick your tree up after Christmas for disposal (from 28th December). Get on it quickly if you want one of these as he does sell out every year.
bengc.co.uk

The Brighton Flower Company

This friendly bunch will deliver a premium Nordmann fir tree to your local address seven days a week (from 28th November) or you can pick up your tree from their shop on Western Road. It’s worth heading along to choose it yourself as it’s a lovely experience. And the trees are beautiful – lush green, bushy and symmetrical. Prices start at £50 for a small-but-perfectly-formed three-footer. They also have a stunning DIY wreath kit.
Pick up from 102 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2AA, or you can have it delivered to your home for free
thebrightonflowercompany.co.uk

Mac’s Farm

Looking to dive into the Christmas spirit while you pick out your tree? Then book a slot at Mac’s Farm, the free-range egg farm in nearby Ditchling. Despite the fact they only recently added selling trees into the mix, they sell out time slots quickly over this two-day festive event and some have already gone for this year (damn those super-organised people). To avoid waste, you need to pre-order (and pay for) your Nordmann Fir tree (5 – 8-foot ones available) and book your arrival time slot. But you still get to choose your dream tree when you get there, as well as enjoy live Christmas music, craft stalls and festive food and drink. They don’t do deliveries though, so you’ll have to get it home yourself.
Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd December; 10am – 4pm; from £55.50; (well-behaved dogs welcome)
themacsfarm.co.uk

Sussex Trees

Have you got your heart set on a monster of a tree and want to choose it yourself? Then you need to head over to one of Sussex Christmas Trees’ two sites – Northdown Plantation, not too far from Uckfield, and Goddenwick Farm, just outside Haywards Heath. Both sites are around a 35-minute drive from Brighton. You can pick your own – they’ve got six different tree varieties – and staff will chop your fave down for you on the spot or you can grab a ready-chopped one from the barn. Fancy yourself a bit of a tree surgeon? Well, borrow one of their saws and have at the tree of your choice yourself!

Animal-lovers may prefer the Goddenwick Farm site, which is home to four pick-your-own fields plus a whole herd of friendly reindeer, alpaca, Pygmy goats to visit. You may have already been there before Halloween as they started a pumpkin-picking field this year.

Oh, and both sites have a Christmas shop (open every day) and Goddenwick has mulled wine on sale (at weekends) to keep you toasty, too, plus a festive woodland walk and a Santa’s grotto for the little ones. Cut-tree prices (as opposed to pot-grown ones) start at £25 for a four-footer Norway Spruce or Serbian Spruce, going up to an eye-watering £820 for a towering 24-foot Nordmann Fir. We love the soft-needled, orange-scented Sussex Fir. And if you haven’t got a car, you can also order online and they’ll deliver for free. Easy.
Both sites are open every day from Friday 24th November until Wednesday 20th December, 9am – 5pm; dogs on a lead welcome
sussextrees.co.uk

Fox Hill Christmas Tree Farm

We also love the Fox Hill experience if you like to spend hours browsing the trees to pick one out that has *just* the right amount of sass. This family-run business in Haywards Heath has four different tree varieties, including everyone’s favourite, the Nordmann Fir. Looking for minimum hassle? They also sell freshly dug potted trees, container-grown trees, homemade wreaths and firewood. Prices start at £26 for a four-foot Norway spruce, going up to £165 for a whopping 14-foot Nordmann. They do deliver locally, but Brighton is, sadly, not quite local enough to qualify.
Open from Saturday 25th November and then every day 8am – 5pm (closes at 4.30pm on Sundays)
foxhillchristmastrees.co.uk

The Sussex Christmas Barn

About a 30-minute drive from Brighton, and with expansive views over the South Downs, you’ll find the wonder that is the Sussex Christmas Barn, a converted 18th century barn. They’ve been selling trees (four varieties and pot-grown trees) sourced from the UK’s Infinity Christmas Trees for about four years now and they have some real beauties. They pay attention to the symmetry here and each tree is graded for height and quality to make the decision process easier. Pot-grown trees are available from 1st November and cut trees from 18th November with prices starting at £27 for a Norway spruce. They also have a cafe with hot and cold food, and they sell a huge variety of decorations, felt toys, lights and local produce, too. You can order online, but you’ll need to collect from the barn; unfortunately, they don’t deliver.
Open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5.30pm, Saturday 10am – 5.30pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm; dogs on a lead welcome
Sussexchristmasbarn.co.uk

Don’t forget the baubles

And if you’re looking for some extra decorations to hang on your new tree, check out the gorgeous Three Angels Christmas Brocante in Hove (25th – 26th November; they’ll also have trees), Blackout Brighton has a joyous selection of kitsch bauble joy. For all things foodie, check out the gorgeous glass ones at Cook Book Bake (they start at £4.50 – message them on Instagram to order or pop to their shop in Hove). The watermelon and the garlic have got our names on. Velvet in Hove also has a fabulous collection of sassy sparklers (we’ve got the leopard). If you’re after something more Brighton-y, head to the Royal Pavilion shop. And last, but by no means least, are these hand-painted bauble-y works of art from Eat Pray Pedal and these personalised beauties from the Amyverse.

We’re getting our full festive on at BOTI Towers, so keep an eye out for the first of our gift guides coming soon!