? about extra tall Christmas trees -

[janey99]

We have just finished major construction in our house, and for this year we will be able to get a 10-12 foot Xmas tree. In the past, we have always gotten a "regular" 6-7 foot tall tree, and have used the type of stand where you unscrew four eye-hooks, stick the tree in the hole in the stand, and tighten the eye hook screws in until all are supporting the tree standing straight.

I'm just startnig to give this year thought, but it seems that the eye hook rig may not be sturdy enough for a tall tree.

Anyone who typically gets a bigger tree, what type of stand do you use?

TIA -

Jane

 

[Hercules10]

I assume you're talking about a real tree. Despite claims I never could find a stand sturdy enough to handle the 10'+ trees we usually got. The only strategy that seems to help was the heavier the stand the better.

Finally one year the tree went over and killed a few of my "Mickey's Christmas Carol" characters. Last straw. Broke down and went with fake and haven't had a probelm since (and yeah, I do miss that pine smell of a real tree).

Good luck!

 

[janey99]

Sorry for not being clear - yes, a real, cut tree.

When you go to artificial, I assume the base/stand comes as an integrated part?

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of price did you pay for a 10+ artificial tree? Maybe it's worth the long term investment.

Thanks -

Jane

 

[ducklite]

Ours is a "fake" 9 1/2 foot tree. It uses a stand that came with it that's basically the same as our fomer 6' tree used.

Just keep in mind that the taller it is, the wider the base is. Just make sure you've got the clearance at the bottom for it. It requires removing a piece of furniture from my living room to make that happen.

I think we paid about $350 for our tree. Definitely more economical than buying a fresh tree each year, and better for the environment as well.

 

[jax677]

We have been getting a tall tree for the last 10 years and wouldn't go back to fake again. The only thing that works is a base/stand for big trees and then attach it to a 30/36 inch square piece of 3/4 inch plywood. We have never had a tree topple or even tip a bit.

We have paid anywhere from $75-$150 for a tree. I would recommend going to a place with a return policy. We once went to a fly by night and it was dead by morning. Now we go to a nursery that we trust.

Edited to add we buy 11-13 foot trees.

 

[Hercules10]

Yes the base is all part of the tree and very, very stable. It takes on two shepherds with baseball bats for tails and hasn't been knocked over.

We got ours about about 5 years ago for around $250-$300 (I think). It's not pre-lit and it has pine/spruce mix for branches. Fat and full. Looks nice, but even pine scented candles can't provide that same smell.

 

[Magickndm]

We always get a real 10 feet + tree. My husband screwed a nice heavy duty tree stand to a piece of plywood to make it even sturdier.

 

[Magickndm]

Found a picture of the stand before it was covered. The blue you see is a towel under it so the screws won't scratch the floor.

 

[juligrl]

We got a nice "real looking" artificial tree for the foyer of our house when our place was being built. It's 10' and the tag said $250, but we got it after Christmas, floor model, clearance for $50. It came with a stand.

I won't do Christmas without a real tree so we get a 6-7' real tree every year for our family room. We have pretty much the same stand that's pictured above, ours may be wider though.

 

[janey99]

Thanks everyone for the replies - I like the idea of just screwing the old stand onto a piece of stabilizing plywood (provided, of course, that the stump actually fits into the hole of the old stand - something else to check!)!

Juligrl - I'm toying with the idea of two trees as well - but that means I'd have to buy a whole lot more ornaments!

Jane

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

We actually have 3 trees
two fake and one real
last year the real was about 10 1/2 feet tall and my husband was sooo dissapointed he wants one about 13-16 feet.
We were able to use one of those large plastic bases as pictures... but we also had a method of anchoring it at higher as we have a catwalk that it sits in front of and fishing line does the trick.

 

[Muffy]

We got our tree here: http://www.treeclassics.com/barring...itional_prelit_artificial_christmas_tree.aspx We have the Barrington Deluxe Fraser Fir 9ft and it is beautiful. They are kind of pricey but worth it. You actually have to touch it because it looks so real.

 

[juligrl]

Juligrl - I'm toying with the idea of two trees as well - but that means I'd have to buy a whole lot more ornaments!

Jane

I know what you mean!
The foyer tree is my DH's tree. Luckily he was able to get everything on post-Christmaz clearance the year before we needed it. It's pre-lit with white lights (the only white lights I allow in or outside the house at Christmas are in the foyer) and he decorates it with red and gold bows and ribbon and red and gold glass ball ornaments. The ribbons/bows take up a lot of space on the tree and can be done on the cheap.

The other tree, our real one, gets decked in colored lights and all our fun, family ornaments and my collection of blown glass ornaments.

 

[Wayne23]

We get a live tree - uncut in a container. It never falls over. And we get to plant it in the yard after Christmas.

 

[Mike.Wazowski]

We get a live tree - uncut in a container. It never falls over. And we get to plant it in the yard after Christmas.

I love this idea....

I might have to look into it...

 

[janey99]

**We get a live tree - uncut in a container. It never falls over. And we get to plant it in the yard after Christmas.**

We did this when I was a kid - there are at least 20 of those trees in my parents' yard.

Now, my DH is a landscape architect, so our yard is planted according to his "master plan!"

We do, however, decorate one of our outside trees "for the birds" with popcorn and cranberry strands, and pinecones rolled in peanut butter and seeds.

 

[Wayne23]

I love this idea....

I might have to look into it...

**We get a live tree - uncut in a container. It never falls over. And we get to plant it in the yard after Christmas.**

We did this when I was a kid - there are at least 20 of those trees in my parents' yard.

Mike, what Janey said is the best part of doing the live tree. We've done this for 3 years now and it's cool to look at those trees growing - reminders of very pleasant times - long after the trinket gifts are gone.

And the cost is pretty close to the cost of a good sized cut tree. No one wants to buy big trees December, so the garden centers are often willing to make a deal. Note that they are heavy, though. And your wife will have to be not-Martha-Stewart.

 

[miss missy]

Mine are always over 10' too. We have a stand that is solid metal and has an attached metal square around the bottom. Its old, not sure where we got it. We always tie it off to the window still for extra safety, use fishing wire, it can't be seen!!

 

[mamacatnv]

We get a 10-11' live tree - we use the "industrial" stands as several posters have noted. We collect ornaments and have amassed a huge collection over the years. We use every spare inch of tree to get all the ornaments on. As an extra ounce of protection and since we have cats we secure the tree to the ceiling using spiderwire fishing line.

 

[tiggger1]

we got a 9 1/2 ft prelite tree at Sears for $36 before Xmas! It is a pencil thin tree but it is beautiful and looks real!