HELP! Need Help With Setting Up a Christmas Tree

[romantico]

In a couple weeks I will go out and buy my Christmas tree.For the past couple of years I have become frustrated when setting up our tree.You see, I have 2 problems. One,the tree ALWAYS seems to lean in the stand. Second,the tree never really feels secure. I usually have one of those green plastic ones with the 3 long silver screws you screw into the base of the tree. Then I bought one year a die cast one and had a similar problem with it not being secure and leaning. Can anyone suggest something other than a artificial tree (which I may end up eventually going for)I love the smell of a real tree but setting it up anymore is a headache. I usually go to either Loews or Home Depot or the local florist to buy it.Any advice would be helpful.

[bluedigger]

1. That's easy!

Just rent a couple of screw jacks from the hardware store. Then jack up your foundation on the side of the house the tree is leaning towards. When the tree is plumb, stop. :)

[petronius]

8. That's the lazy man's way. What you really need to do is find the perfect tree out in the forest,

cut the appropriate-sized hole in your floor, then have the house moved into place and dropped over the tree. After New Year's, you just move it back. No muss, no fuss!

[trof]

2. Cut the bottom SQUARE.

That's half the battle.
I have tied string to one or two sides, tacked to a nearby window frame or molding for extra stability.

[Arkansas Granny]

10. When I was still putting up a tree, I always tied it to something for stability

because cats have a bad habit of climbing said trees. Broken ornaments, crying kids and a freaked out cat taught me a valuable lesson.

[Lasher]

12. Good advice.

A favorite Christmas experience from years ago: Something caught Mrs. Lasher's attention. She looked closely at the tree and was startled to have seen two yellow eyes staring back at her - at Mrs. Lasher's eye level. Hee hee!

These days she puts up at least one tree in every single room. Yes, even bathrooms. On the porch and in the yard too. Help me.

[Arugula Latte]

19. Hoo boy, you've got a real Xmas fanatic on your hands.

Good luck, Lasher. Only several more weeks until Xmas is over ... :yoiks:

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. I think it would be best if you got an artificial tree.

Maybe just stuff some napkins under it to keep it from leaning.

That always seems to work with wobbley tables.

[snacker]

4. Make certain that the tree trunk is straight...

that would be my first suggestion.

[madinmaryland]

5. I'm part of the troops supporting the War on Christmas, so I may not be the best person

to be taking advice from.

I'm thinking fire at the moment.

:hide:

[valerief]

6. I put a Festivus pole in a plastic traffic cone, but I'm a traditionalist. nt

[romantico]

7. Thanks

I heard someone suggest last year having them drill a hole in the base. They make a stand with a spike in the middle. Wish I could remember who told me that and what the stand was called and where I could get one. Thanks everyone!

[handmade34]

9. I have one... they are cooler than cool!!

couldn't believe they would work so well when I got it...!!!

[Kali]

11. we usually go out and cut several long juniper branches

and tie them with some baling wire into more or less of a tree. Then I stick them in a 5 gallon bucked full of water and use heavy carpent threat to tie them to curtain rods, door frames, etc

piece of red cloth tucked around the bucket and start decorating (lights first)

[pacalo]

13. If my husband were advising you, he'd tell you to tie two long lengths of

high-gauge fishing line to the trunk. Tie each end of the two lines to whatever's sturdy on opposite sides of the tree.

That was our second Christmas tree adventure together.

:rofl:

[hedgehog]

15. We actually have a couple dowels packed away with the Christmas

ornaments that my husband uses to secure the tree to the walls!

[pacalo]

17. Hahaaa! Our hubbies would be fast friends.

Yikes -- can you imagine what they'd come up with if they put their minds together?


:rofl:

[Phentex]

14. Swivel Straight...easy...

Take the smaller base with you when you get the tree. Bring it home, insert the base, swivel and you are done!

[romantico]

16. Thanks

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[Silver Swan]

18. When I was a kid

we didn't have fancy tree stands. We filled a milk pail full of sand and stuck the tree in it.

Many years later, my mother and sister were trying to stand a Christmas tree upright in a stand, and finally gave up, and filled a pail with sand, like we did over fifty years ago.

So that's my advice. If the tree doesn't cooperate, put it in a bucket of sand.