Australia’s Christmas Tree Trends: Why Pre-Lit Trees Are Dominating Festive Styling

As Australia’s leading online retailer for furniture, homewares and home improvement, Temple & Webster is uniquely positioned to observe the evolving rituals shaping modern Australian living. The festive season is one of the most significant decorating events of the year, yet how Australians prepare their homes for Christmas has fundamentally shifted. To understand how convenience, design sensibilities and changing lifestyles are reshaping these seasonal traditions, we analysed our multi-year sales data and broader search trends. The findings reveal a decisive move away from tradition and toward polished, effortless festive styling, headlined by the rapid rise of pre-lit trees. 
 

Nearly 7 in 10 Christmas trees sold on Temple & Webster between 2 October and 2 November this year were pre-lit, up from half in 2023.

• Pre-lit tree sales nearly doubled between 2023 and 2025, up 90%.
• Temple & Webster sold 38% more Christmas trees in 2025 than in 2023.
• Average spend on pre-lit designs is up more than 30% on the same weeks a year ago.
• Searches for 'pre lit christmas tree' rose 77% between the 2021 and 2025 Christmas seasons, against 4% for 'christmas tree'.
• Real trees' share of Australian tree search interest has fallen by more than a quarter since 2017, to its lowest in the 14 seasons since 2012.
• Searches for real-tree terms rose 11% between the 2019 and 2025 seasons, against 44% for 'christmas tree'.
• Sales of natural and woven tree skirts grew 145% between 2023 and 2025.
• The busiest week for Christmas tree searching has started between 28 November and 1 December in every season for more than a decade.
  
   

What it means

Australians are choosing pre-lit trees for convenience and a polished finished look, according to Lucy Sutherland, Director of Insights & Trends at Temple & Webster. Early shoppers this year are trading up to statement trees with built-in smart LEDs. Consumers now want a tree that looks complete from the day it goes up and stays that way until it comes down, extending to coordinated natural and woven tree skirts that replace traditional fabric skirts.

Tracking these behavioural shifts is essential to our mission at Temple & Webster. By understanding not just what Australians buy, but how they want to experience their living spaces during the festive season, we can continue to curate collections that remove friction and elevate everyday design. The findings demonstrate that holiday decorating is no longer about wrestling with tangled lights or messy needles—it is an intentional styling moment focused on premium finishes, seamless smart lighting, and cohesive accents like natural woven skirts. As the busy late-November search peak approaches, we remain committed to helping Australians create a festive home that looks effortlessly complete from the moment it goes up until the day it comes down.
 

Shop Christmas here.