Finding A Tree To Trim in Beijing

Julie Wolf | Nov 28, 2021 12:49 pm | Add a comment | 132 reads

I am not a Christmas all year-’round kind of girl. In my opinion, the holidays are magical precisely because they’re for a limited time only. Having said that, when December does roll around, I am a go-all-in, deck every hall, play Bing Crosby on repeat, watch all the old ABC stop motion holiday specials, bake, eat, and repeat for one month out of the year kind of girl. And for me, the festivities start with an epic Christmas tree. Shocker, they are hard to find here in Beijing. Especially if you want a live one, and I do!

There is nothing like the smell of pine and cinnamon to make you feel jolly and bright. I know you can get special candles and scented sticks that make the fake trees smell authentic but it’s just not the same. So last year I went on the hunt for a real tree and wound up finding three places to buy one.

Shopsmith: Ellen at Shopsmith heard the plight of the stranded expat last year and began offering live tree delivery. Not only are they beautiful spruces but they come with the roots attached so they can be replanted at the end of the season. Pick up after the holidays can be arranged. This does mean you need to buy a pot and soil as well as the tree but that is all available on their WeChat mini-program. A two-meter tree, soil, pot, and delivery will run you RMB 322. But the trees range in price from RMB 135 for one meter all the way up to RMB 798 for three and a half meters. Go to the Mini program by searching ‘shopsmith’ to order.

My PengYou: This year they are offering a tree service as well. The tree comes potted and prices include delivery. They start at 1meter for RMB 469 and go to 2.5m for RMB 1319 with taller trees available but prices unlisted. Scan the QR code in the flyer for more information.