Tree trimming, at least on TV, is downright magical: The perfect family gathers around the perfect pine and pitches in to decorate. Oh-so-easy tiny lights, shiny tinsel, delicate reflective balls, handmade ornaments — each with a heartwarming story behind it. Joyous, effortless cooperation, Norman Rockwell moments, smiles the size of mantelpiece swags. But at season's end, when the tree comes down, the string of lights is a giant Gordian knot; tinsel and pine needles are all over the house; Mom and Dad are arguing about how to divide the labor, their emotions as fragile as the shattered ornaments beneath the tree.

Real Simple has created a tree you can trim after a visit to a produce department or your backyard. And at the end of the season you can dispose of it without having to remove a single decoration. Best of all, you don't need any special skills to make it look beautiful. It's a tree designed to let you do less and enjoy more.

Fresh and Dried Fruits

The basis of the Real Simple tree is a collection of fresh and dried fruits. Ideal choices include small, light fresh fruits with long, strong stems, such as Lady apples and Seckel pears, both widely available during the winter months. Fresh fruits will last about two weeks without spoiling. Decorative dried fruits, on the other hand, last indefinitely and come in a wide array of colors and shapes. We used dried pomegranates (much lighter than their fresh counterparts), dried limes, and dried wild apples.

Quantity: For a medium tree (seven to eight feet), you'll need about two dozen pears, two dozen apples, and about a dozen each of dried pomegranates, limes, and wild apples.

Where to buy: Seckel pears and Lady apples are sold at grocery stores for $1 to $1.50 a pound. Dried fruits are available from Flyboy Naturals, 800-465-5125. Pomegranates, $3-$6; limes, $3; Crabapples, $1.50.

Berries

Many types of berries are available throughout the winter. We used large, full clusters of two kinds of red berries (pinkish red pepperberries and bright red Canella canellaceae) and three kinds of green berries (two types of eucalyptus, as well as chinaberries — Melia azedarach). Beware, though, if you have small children or inquisitive pets; many berries are poisonous. The safest bet is eucalyptus berries.

Quantity: For a medium tree, you'll need about a dozen bunches of red berries and a dozen bunches of green (figure on four to five stems per bunch).

Where to buy: First, check your backyard. If there's nothing of interest at your house, berries can be ordered from a local florist. To keep costs down, ask what's most readily available. The more local the berry and the more plentiful the crop, the cheaper it will be. For example, in Missouri this season, you can buy 10 to 15 stems of a local berry called wahoo for about $8. A similar-looking berry that has to be flown in might run $30 or more. Also, ask for berries that will dry without too much shriveling. The berries we’ve used are from Yankee Petaler (www.yankeepetaler.com). Pepperberries, $8 for 12 stems; Canella, $15 for five stems; eucalyptus, $9 for 10 stems; chinaberries, $13 for six stems.

Flowers

Fresh or dried flowers add a splash of color. Hydrangeas are ideal because of their scale — you need only 9 or 10 stems to create an impact. They also dry well, retaining most of their color. Remember that large clusters are more pleasing than a single flower here and there, which will give the tree a patchwork look. But if you do want to use smaller flowers, such as roses, trim the stems to about three inches and then tie six or so stems together with florist tape. For the best effect, group two or three clusters of different berries or two clusters of berries and a fresh or dried hydrangea (trim the stem to an inch or so) on a single branch.

Quantity: For a medium tree, you'll need 9 or 10 hydrangea stems or flower clusters.

Where to buy: Fresh hydrangeas are available at florist shops; dried hydrangeas are available at crafts stores or from the Yankee Petaler, www.yankeepetaler.com.

Tools and Techniques

At most, you'll need a pair of garden shears, some twine or string (in red, green, or natural), a roll of florist tape (dark green tape that sticks to itself when stretched), and a twist of florist wire to attach the berry topper. The fruit should be hung first, before the berries and flowers. We hung half the fruit from four-to five-inch pieces of florist tape and half from five-to six-inch pieces of twine. To attach the florist tape, rip off a three-inch piece, then gently stretch and twist until it lengthens about an inch or so. Then twist one end around the stem of the fruit a couple of times, giving it a gentle tug to secure it. When using twine, simply tie a knot around the stem. Though you don't have to alternate between tape and string, the mix creates more visual interest. The hydrangeas and berry clusters can be set directly on the branches; there's no need to tape them together first or secure them to the branches. Just gather the stems and push them between the branches toward the trunk of the tree until they feel steady. To make the topper, tape together an extra-large cluster of two or three different types of berries. Attach it to the tree with a piece of florist wire.

Where to buy: Twine, florist tape, and florist wire are available at florist shops and crafts stores.

Quantity: One roll of each.