It is the winter season. The season of mirth, intermingling, and family dinners. The season of abundant joy, and the rekindling of holiday spirit. People are huddled up in cozy clothes, warm gloves, and thick boots. With Christmas being right around the corner, there is a hint of festivity in the air. Wherever you look, the world is covered with snow. What is a flocked Christmas tree? Read more to know!
To match the snow and celebration outdoors, elaborate indoor decorations are a must. We all make preparations to adorn our houses with sparkly lights and garlands with bustling joy and activity. Among lights, trees, wreaths, and other decorative items, the flocked Christmas tree has become a people’s favorite during Christmas. Flocked trees seem to bring the dream-like serene snowy landscape right into the heart of the house.
1. What Do You Mean by Flocking?
A certain method is to be followed to achieve the flocked finish on your Christmas tree and give it the look of freshly fallen snow. The process is called flocking. Flocking is not simply limited to trees; it has been used on fabric and other decor as well. The process is used to create a certain texture by depositing tiny particles on surfaces, and now, it is also utilized to create a realistic white snow finish on Christmas trees.
Flocking trees during Christmas has recently gained popularity, but the process originated in the 1800s and was very in vogue during the first half of the 1900s. Materials such as cotton, cornstarch, and flour were used for flocking, along with a mix of water and adhesive.
A flocked Christmas tree is messy, moreover it is a vital concern for most. If not handled or stored properly, the flock may shed. One should always store a flocked Christmas tree by making it stand horizontally upright, and preferably covered with a plastic sheet or bag. But with good quality and durable flocked trees, there is little to no chance of a mess being made.
Commercially flocked trees are uniform with long-lasting faux snow that sheds only slightly. Moreover, is a flocked Christmas tree wholly realistic if there isn’t a slight dusting of snow from the branches to the ground? Nevertheless, a rug lain beneath the tree, or a vacuum cleaner kept at hand, could prove to be useful. Despite this, an artificial flocked tree has its magnificent appeal.
2. What is a Flocked Christmas Tree?
A well-flocked Christmas tree, however, has a lovely and comfortingly nostalgic quality when it is adorned and lit up. Then what is flocking exactly? Flocking, which is widely utilized in fashion, home design, and crafts, is fundamentally the technique of affixing microscopic strands to a surface to add texture. The Peak Seasons formula uses fiber made from paper pulp, maize starch as an adhesive, and boron as a flame retardant since flocking improves safety.
A flocked Christmas tree is an ordinary green Christmas tree whose branches are covered with artificial snow. This is usually done using self-adhesive snow flock powders, spray cans, or other domestic substitutes. The flocked Christmas trees are made so, to resemble the natural pine trees in the forests that collect clumps of snow on their bows after heavy winter snowfall.
3. Flocked Vs Frosted Christmas Trees
Along with flocked trees, frosted Christmas trees are also in vogue. Frosted Christmas trees are the ones with a less heavy layer of artificial snow, giving off the impression of freshly fallen snow. In contrast, flocked trees have a generous helping of clumps of snow.
Flocked Christmas trees have white branches that are weighed down, as most parts of their boughs are covered with snow. This makes them look extremely realistic, very similar to natural ones in the woods after a heavy wintry snowfall.
A big reason why flocked trees occur so high in people’s preference is its life-like natural appearance; it brings the essence of a high-altitude snow-covered forest, into a more comfortable indoor setting. So, in case you are craving a ‘white Christmas’ but you live in a place where you don’t have the privilege of snowfall in winter, a flocked artificial Christmas tree might compensate for what you are missing!
4. How to Get a Flocked Christmas Tree?
There are two options available. You could either buy a pre-flocked Christmas tree of your liking. Pre-lit flocked Christmas trees are easily available in the market, but you could even buy an un-lit one, and put up decorations of your liking.
To flock to a Christmas tree by yourself, you have to apply a heavy amount of faux snow on your tree’s branches and needles. Readymade flocking materials and spray cans can be easily obtained to flock to your tree at home by yourself. If you want cost-efficient DIY flocking material, a mixture of shaving cream and glue is a domestic alternative.
While flocking at home, make sure to take precautions. The flocking process can be messy, and the ready-made materials are hazardous. Gloves and glasses could come in handy. The flocking process is best conducted outdoors. This is to avoid any mess on the floor inside the house.
Laying down some plastic or newspaper beneath the tree before applying faux snow, should be advantageous. Keep in mind that the flocked tree should be given adequate time of about 4 hours to dry. Alternatively, if you are willing to take up the messier, but more fun route, you could just as well flock it on your own at home. Just DIY it.
5. Final Words
Flocked trees on their own can be sufficient decor to invoke the festive spirit, but further decoration can be added according to taste. You could add glitter to heighten the snowy effect and make the tree sparkle more with strings of light. Or you could go for the metallic look. Flocked garlands, wreaths, and mistletoes could be similarly frosted and used to deck other areas of the house.
Hence, this holiday season, if you are looking to amp things up and achieve a frosted flourish, the magical touch of flocked trees should create the required charm. Flocked Christmas trees are the holiday decoration that has caught everyone’s attention. With its heavy snow-dusted boughs giving the impression of a snow-kissed look, flocked Christmas trees add a realistic dimension to holiday decorating.
Suggested Reading: A Complete Guide: How to Start a Christmas Tree Farm
