Fortnite players love free stuff. It’s a basic fact of the Battle Royale ecosystem. But nothing quite hits the same way as the christmas tree skin fortnite fans wait for every December. If you were around in 2019, you remember the chaos. Everyone was suddenly a bush. Well, a tree, technically. We’re talking about Lt. Evergreen, the skin that changed how Epic Games handled holiday rewards forever.
People actually thought it was a glitch at first. You had to go into the Winterfest Lodge—that cozy, interactive menu—and click on a literal Christmas tree in the background to claim it. It wasn't in a box. It wasn't a challenge reward. It was just... there.
The Legend of Lt. Evergreen and the Winterfest Lodge
Lt. Evergreen isn't just a skin. He's a meme. He’s a tactical advantage that arguably shouldn’t exist. When he first dropped during Winterfest 2019, the community lost its collective mind because he has a built-in emote that lets him pose as a static tree. In a game where "pro" players wear the skinniest female skins to minimize their visual footprint, here comes a giant, bulky pine tree.
But it worked.
Honestly, the amount of clips from 2019 and 2020 showing players walking right past a Lt. Evergreen standing still in the woods is staggering. He blends in perfectly with the greenery around Lonely Lodge or any snowy forest patch. He’s the "OG" christmas tree skin fortnite players point to when they talk about the "good old days" of Winterfest. Unlike the skins you buy in the Item Shop for 1,500 V-Bucks, Evergreen felt like a secret gift for those who were actually paying attention to the lore of the Lodge.
Why Epic Games Kept the "Tree Skin" Tradition Alive
Epic realized they had a hit. They couldn't just give out one tree and stop. Fast forward to 2021, and we got Krisabelle. Now, she wasn't a literal tree in the sense that she was made of wood and needles, but she wore the festive outfit that clearly mirrored the holiday spirit. She was the "festive" version of the fan-favorite Isabelle skin.
To get her, you had to wait. You couldn't just click her on day one. You had to open all the other presents on her side of the Lodge first. It created this weird, communal countdown. Everyone was asking on Reddit, "Can I get the tree girl yet?" It was a brilliant bit of digital marketing. By the time players finally unlocked her, the map was covered in Isabelles.
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Then came the Sled Ready Guff and the Arctic Adeline variations, but they never quite captured that "tree" essence the way the original Lt. Evergreen did.
The "Pay to Win" Controversy (Sort Of)
Is a giant green tree skin actually "pay to win"? No, because it was free. But was it "free to win"? Some people really thought so.
The hitboxes in Fortnite are generally standardized. Whether you are playing as a massive brute or a slim secret agent, the area where bullets register is mostly the same. However, visual clutter is a real thing. When you're wearing a christmas tree skin fortnite design like Lt. Evergreen, your "branches" can obscure your actual head or torso. In a high-stakes build fight, that split second of confusion where an opponent doesn't know exactly where to aim is the difference between a Lobby visit and a Victory Royale.
Comparing the Major Festive Skins
If we’re looking at the roster of holiday skins that fit this vibe, we have to look at the differences in how they were acquired and their "sweat" factor.
Lt. Evergreen (2019): The king. Total camouflage. He's Jonesy in a ghillie suit made of tinsel. Very rare to see nowadays because so many "OG" accounts have gone dormant. If you see one in 2026, that player has been around the block.
Krisabelle (2021): High popularity, low stealth. She’s bright, she’s loud, and she’s definitely not hiding in a forest. She’s for the players who want to show off that they were there for Chapter 3, Season 1.
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Blizzabelle (2021): This was a PC-exclusive (initially) through the Epic Games Store. Same model as Krisabelle but in blue. It added another layer to the "tree skin" mythos by making the platform you play on matter.
The Evolution of Winterfest Rewards
The way we get these skins has shifted. Back in the day, the Winterfest Lodge was a physical 3D space you could click around in. It felt tactile. You’d click the fire to get XP, click the presents to hear them shake.
In recent years, Epic has experimented with a more menu-based approach, which, honestly, kinda sucks compared to the old Lodge. The "search for the skin" element has been toned down in favor of straightforward quest rewards. While the skins are still great, that "hidden" feeling of finding the christmas tree skin fortnite fans loved in 2019 is harder to come by.
Why You Can't Buy the "True" Tree Skins
Here is the kicker: you usually can't buy these specific skins.
Most people don't realize that Winterfest skins like Lt. Evergreen or Krisabelle are "Limited Time Offers." Once that Winterfest ends, they don't go into the Item Shop rotation. They aren't like Ginger Gunner or Crackshot. If you missed the 2019 Winterfest, you simply cannot get Lt. Evergreen. Period. This creates a massive secondary market for accounts, which is technically against Epic’s TOS, but it shows just how much value these "free" skins hold.
What to Look For in Future Holiday Events
If you're looking to snag the next big holiday skin, you need to be active between December 14th and January 6th. That’s the "Golden Window." Epic almost always hides a character skin behind a series of "presents" or "milestones."
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- Check the Lodge: If there’s a 3D lobby, click everything. Even the stuff that doesn't look like a box.
- Daily Quests: Sometimes the "tree" variant is locked behind completing 10 or 14 specific winter challenges.
- Check All Platforms: Sometimes a skin is free on PlayStation Plus or the Epic Games Store but costs V-Bucks on Xbox or Switch.
The christmas tree skin fortnite trend isn't going anywhere. It’s a staple of the game’s culture. It represents a time when the community isn't just sweating in Ranked mode, but actually having a bit of festive fun.
The Strategy of Using Festive Skins
If you actually own one of these skins, stop leaving them in your locker. Use them. Specifically, use them in the snowy biomes that usually take over the map in December.
Lt. Evergreen is still top-tier for "prop hiding" without actually using a prop. If you crouch in a group of real pines, you are 90% invisible to a casual player. Krisabelle and her variants are better for "fashion" combos, especially if you pair them with the Combat Wreath back bling or the Peppermint Pick pickaxe.
Moving Forward: Your Festive Loadout
Don't wait until December 25th to start looking for these rewards. Usually, by then, the best stuff has already been available for a week.
Stay tuned to the "News" tab in the main menu starting the second week of December. Look for any mention of "Free Rewards" or "Winterfest." If history repeats itself, the next christmas tree skin fortnite developers drop will be even weirder than a guy in a pine suit. Maybe we'll get a literal Peely-tree or a mechanical Christmas tree sentinel. Whatever it is, if it's free, grab it. You’ll regret it three years from now when it becomes a "rare" icon of a bygone Chapter.
Verify your account email now so you don't have 2FA issues when the event starts. Missing a skin because you couldn't log in during a family trip is a classic Fortnite tragedy. Get your mobile or cloud gaming setup ready so you can log in, claim your gift, and get back to the holiday.