When I was growing up, Christmas was a special time in our house because my father always pulled out his favorite toy. He had the best Christmas tree train set that never failed to thrill and entertain us kids throughout the holiday season.
A train set is more than just a toy. It’s also a piece of holiday tradition that has delighted children and adults alike for generations. The joy of setting up a miniature world beneath your Christmas tree brings a touch of magic and nostalgia to our family celebrations.
Train sets under the Christmas tree can spark the imagination and bringing families together during the holiday season. With the gentle sound of the locomotive chugging along the tracks and the miniature buildings twinkling with festive lights, these train sets create a mesmerizing and enchanting setting that will leave lasting memories for years to come.
When choosing a train set for your holiday display, it is important to consider a few different factors.
- The size and scale of the train set should fit comfortably under your tree.
- You might want the train set to match your decor.
- Consider the quality of materials, the durability, and the attention to detail.
- Locomotives can have different features, such as any lights, sounds, and remote control capabilities.
- As the features go up, the price can as well, so have a budget established.
To help guide your search, we’ve spent many hours exploring a selection of train sets that meet these criteria, making sure that you find the perfect addition to your Christmas tree this holiday season.
- Lionel Christmas Tree Train Set with Remote
- 4 cars
- 24 curved track and 8 straight track pieces
- Remote control
- Working headlight
- The Polar Express Lionel Christmas Tree Train Set
- Classic Christmas Tree Train Set with Oderless Smoke
- Disney Mickey Mouse Christmas Tree Train Set
- Thomas & Friends Simple Wood Train Set
If you were raised around model trains, you certainly are familiar with the Lionel name and brand. Although you can find sets for less, the quality is unmistakable.
This set has:
You can create a 73.2" x 50" oval, a 47.75" circle, or a 53" x 53" rounded square. You can also purchase expansion packs of track if desired.
This one has all the bells and whistles...and I do mean that literally! The remote control moves the train forward and reverse, and sounds the whistle and rings the bell.
This does require 6 C batteries and 3 AAA batteries so you'll want to make sure you have those available.
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Polar Express fans, this one's for you! If you have a child who just loves The Polar Express, you can't go wrong with this beautiful replica model train made by Lionel.
This set features the engine, a coal car, and two passenger cars where you can see the shadows of the children in the windows. It also features a working headlight, and uses a remote control to operate, which is so convenient.
Just like most Lionel sets, this one also has 24 curved and 8 straight plastic track pieces, and comes with a remote control. It also features a working headlight. You can create a 73.2" x 50" oval, a 47.75" circle, or a 53" x 53" rounded square. You can also purchase expansion packs of track if desired.
Three AAA and six C batteries are needed to operate, you'll want to have these on hand.
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If you're looking to spend a little less than our first option, we've got you covered with this set. It's a terrific quality option for under $40.
This classic train set comes with a steam engine (including a working headlight and realistic oderless smoke), a passenger coach, a cargo vehicle, and a coal car. There is enough track to make a 37" circle or a 37" x66" oval. Be aware that you cannot purchase extra track for this set. There is a dropper that is included which is used to put water into the steam engine and make the "smoke".
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We were looking enough to live about 5 minutes from Disney World when my kids (now grown) were in their teens, and from that moment on, they just can't get enough Disney. If there's a Disney option, that's the one they choose.
That's why I sent this Lionel train set featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to my kids for their trees and family's enjoyment.
This set is very similar to the other trains on our list, but it's just fabulously decked out for fans of Disney Christmas, and the remote, in addition to the normal buttons, has a button for special Disney announcements. It also has 4 cars, a working headlight, and the same amount of track as the other Lionel trains.
Don't forget the batteries! You'll need 3 AAA and 6 C to utilize all the features on this train.
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You're probably thinking, why is this on the list? It certainly doesn't go around a Christmas tree!
That is true. But you see, if you have a toddler who really likes to touch everything just like my daughter's son, you're going to want to consider doing what we did. Order the train that you look at and also the train that you can touch and play with! I promise this will save you much grief in the long run. 🙂
This is just the cutest Thomas & Friends wood train playset, which features Thomas and Bertie, a station, crossing gates, and a bridge. And most importantly, this has entertained our toddler for hours and hours and he knows it's "his train" while the other goes 'round the Christmas tree.
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