How to Put Up a Christmas Tree

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Putting up a Christmas tree seems like a harmless endeavor, doesn’t it?

But really, it depends on HOW you put up that Christmas tree, and whether you decide to get a “real” used-to-be-alive Christmas tree or if you’re smart and go for something less dangerous like a nice balsam fir artificial Christmas tree.

For us, we have to have the real Christmas tree. There’s nothing like that smell of Christmas tree in your house, and the swearing as you put it up and stepping on needles is no less of a Christmas tradition for us than hanging up stockings or giving presents to people.

There is an easy way and a hard way to put up a Christmas tree. To help you avoid the struggle, tears, pine needles flying and all that I’ve experienced in Christmases past, here is Chelle’s guide to how to put up a Christmas tree the easy way:

1. Drive Directly to Lowe’s: Lowe’s is a home improvement store in the US that typically I don’t endorse, but they are THE PLACE to get a Christmas tree. You walk into Lowe’s near their covered Christmas tree section, and a super nice guy will come up to you and help you pick the perfect tree. He will then trim the bottom for you and wrap it so beautifully in netting, and even load it in the car for you if you need help. It was the best Christmas tree buying experience I ever had this year. Their tree was also $15 less than anywhere else I saw them for sale.

2. Get a Good Base: It might seem that tree stands aren’t that important, but it’s the difference between setting the tree in the stand and making a few changes before saying “Ah, that looks nice!” and swearing for 6 hours as the tree fights you, falls down, and puts your life and limbs at risk. When you put the tree into the base, do NOT unwrap the netting around the tree! Leave it wrapped until the very end and you decide the tree is “straight”. Once you unwrap the tree, changing anything will be extremely difficult and/or painful. See diagram below to help you see the difference between a good and a bad Christmas tree stand.

3. Add Water: Christmas trees need a lot of water so they don’t dry out and get sharp needles. You can also put aspirin in the base with water so it doesn’t get a headache and stays fresh longer.

4. Add Lights and Decorations: This is the fun part of putting up a Christmas tree. A 7 foot tree will need between 400-500 mini-lights to really look nice. Make sure you read all warning labels on the lights - you don’t want to burn your house down from having too many lights plugged in together. Put heavier and fragile ornaments at the top of the tree where the branches are stronger. If you have kids, pets, or are naturally prone to breaking things, you may want to invest in some nice plastic shatter-proof ornaments.

5. Take a Nap: Taking a nap afterward is very important. You will likely be exhausted and cranky, and you will not be much in the Christmas spirit when you are cranky and tired. Treating yourself to a cup of hot chocolate or maybe a mixed drink is optional, but highly recommended.

I don’t mean to scare anyone away from getting a real Christmas tree, but if this sounds like a lot of work, you may want to opt for an artificial white Christmas tree to save yourself lots of time and frustration. Artificial trees are a pain in the neck too though, so perhaps changing your traditions and celebrating Hanukkah or Kwanzaa instead would also be a good viable option.

All in all though, it’s great when the Christmas tree is up and decorated. It really feels like the holidays are here!

Do you put up a live tree or artificial? (Or not celebrate Christmas at all?)

Have any Christmas tree horror experiences to share?