How to Make Your Fake Christmas Tree Smell Real — 4 Tips That Will Help Your Home Feel Authentically Festive, Even If Your Tree Is Artificial

There's nothing quite like the fresh smell of a real Christmas tree to put your home in the festive spirit. But, let's be honest, faux trees are the low-maintenance alternative plenty of us opt for as our primary decorative flourish.

And since they're becoming increasingly hyper-realistic in design, the only thing that could reveal their faux form to your guests is the lack of fragrance. But there are some easy ways to fix that and ensure your Christmas decor is multi-faceted in its sensory charm.

Here are a couple of secret tricks worth the steal to help your fake Christmas tree smell like it's arrived fresh from a tree farm for all to enjoy.

1. Hang Scented Ornaments

One of my favorite ways to make a Christmas tree smell real without any giveaways is to decorate it with scented ornaments. They fit into your tree's decor while making your home smell like Christmas.

Riccardo Soff, fragrance expert and founder of IncenseSticks.com, tells me that you can DIY them, too. "Enhance the tree with pine cones or dried botanicals lightly scented with essential oils," he says. "Then, simply top up the fragrance with a few drops of essential oil whenever needed."

These Scented Pinecones from the Milford Collection are a great choice, especially if you're opting for a minimalist, pared-back tree aesthetic this Christmas.

2. Spritz With Room Spray

Since I never leave my home without a quick spray of perfume, it got me thinking about whether I should be spritzing my tree, too. And Anat Weiss, founder of Midnight Embers Candle Co., tells me that it's one of the quickest ways to 'wake up' the scent in the room.

"A room spray can give an instant boost of freshness, especially in a pine, balsam, or fir tree scent," she notes. "Lightly mist the tree from a safe distance to avoid residue, and refresh as needed."

Since the seasonal fragrance trend is winter woods, there are plenty of well-balanced room sprays to choose from — this Fresh Juniper Room Spray from Found Notes being one of my current favorites.

3. Adorn with Fragranced Wax Tablets

According to Anat, wax tablets are a great flameless solution to make your fake Christmas tree smell real. And the best part is that you only require a couple to cloak your tree in an air of perfume.

"They hang beautifully on the branches and release fragrance subtly," she says. "They're designed to blend right in with ornaments, so they won't clash with the rest of the tree aesthetic."

This is an effortless way to make your home smell good. And when it comes to the Diptyque Sapin Scented Wax Oval, one is all you need.

4. Strategically Place Home Fragrance

Last but not least, you can use your trusty home fragrance regulars to contribute to making your faux Christmas tree smell real. Use your best candles to bring the space alive, and strategically arrange some reed diffusers, too.

However, when it comes to calling on candles to aid in your quest, Anat points out that it's important to exercise caution. "Do not burn a candle anywhere near a tree due to the fire risk," she advises. "Instead, place a winter-scented candle safely across the room; it will still fill the space and provide the fragrance."

She points out that an even better alternative is to use stylish candle warming lamps to simply warm the candle top-down without having to light it at all. This way, you won't have to worry about the flame, and you'll still be able to scent the surrounding area. Win-win!

Now that your faux Christmas tree is perfumed to the nines, I recommend shifting your focus to other decorative ways to disperse home fragrance. My current nostalgic favorite? Inclusion candles.