How hard is it to put up an Xmas tree?

[jent]

So, I'm doing an Xmas tree for the first time this year. DH is not into Christmas stuff at all, so it's pretty much up to me. I'm trying to make it as painless as possible & if I can do it myself, all the better.

So I saw this tree stand at LLBean (no longer available, but I found it on Amazon)

http://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Innovations-XTS3-Swivel-Straight/dp/B0008F78J8

What do you think? Is it ridiculous to spend this $$ on a tree stand?

Any tree-putting-up advice greatly appreciated.

[JenaW]

I personally think it depends on the size/type of tree you have. We have been completely happy with our run-of-the-mill under $20 (maybe even $12??) tree stand from Target every year for the past 10 (until last year) when we had smallish live trees (5-7 footers maybe?). Our new house has a 2-story vaulted living room so last year we got a 16 foot tree. Needless to say, our cheapo Target stand has now been replaced with a much more expensive cast iron version. But nothing less than that would have held our massive tree. I have no experience with artificial trees, but I would imagine (maybe incorrectly) that they are much lighter and wouldn't need such a big stand either. Not sure which way you are planning to go. That stand looks nice but may be overkill for a small tree. If DH will not help, you may want to enlist a friend. Even our smaller trees needed two people to get it in the stand and make sure it was straight and secured.

Good Luck :)

J

[LarsMal]

I just replaced my old tree stand that was 6 yrs old and rusted out a bit on the screws with a $19.99 one from Target. I like it b/c it has a "water here" slot so you can water it without having to get all the way under the tree!

My DH helps to carry the tree into the house and holds it upright while I secure it in the stand. After that it's pretty much all up to me. He likes to put ornaments up, but has no part in putting the lights up or watering it. I've done it every year since we've been married (this will be our 7th Christmas). It's easy enough that I keep doing it, even though I know it all falls on me.

We've had everywhere from a barely 5 foot tree in our first apartment to an 8 or 9 footer I convinced him to get last year!!! I had to pull out the ladder for that one- and I loved every minute of it!!

[jent]

If DH will not help, you may want to enlist a friend. Even our smaller trees needed two people to get it in the stand and make sure it was straight and secured.
J

Yeah, see that's the problem. I want to be able to not ask DH for help, and not sure if I can get anyone else. (I work some weekends, and everyone is busier around the holidays). The stand enticingly says that once you get the sleeve on (and maybe I can sweet talk the Xmas tree guys into doing it for me) then you can pop it in the stand & straighten it out easily.

OTOH, I am planning to get a fairly small (5-7ft) live tree. And I may be able to enlist someone in helping. I just want to avoid a situation in which I try to do it myself, need to call in DH, it's a huge PIA, and I never hear the end of it. (DH is not a bad guy, he just has this thing about Xmas decorations, and a low tolerance for frustrating mechanical problems.)

[shawnandangel]

I hate putting up the lights, but it's really not hard, just time consuming. See, my dad always put lights on the inside of the tree around the trunk. The inside first then the outside and it looks so pretty.

DH drags the tree in the house and screws it in the stand while I say if it is straight or crooked. And he puts the angel on top because I'm short.

I put up lights and Ornaments

I usually forget to water . . .doh! So DH does that too.

[ellies mom]

I used to have that tree stand. It is a great stand even if you have help with the tree but I definitely recommend it if you are going to be putting up the tree yourself. I've been putting uo the tree myself for years, both real and fake. Once you wrestle the tree into place, the rest is pretty easy.

[mommylamb]

This is year we got a tree for the first time ever. I'm Jewish, so never had one, and DH grew up with a fake tree, and has been tree-less for about a decade now. We put it up today, used one of the $20 stands from target. it was a lot less difficult than I thought it would be. Best of luck!

[SnuggleBuggles]

We have that stand and it isn't as easy to use as I hoped. Dh doesn't like it at all. I can see benefits to it if you will be putting the tree up alone though. We just use a cheap Target one now.

Beth

[jent]

I also saw this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Krinner-XXL-GenieTree-Stand-94720/dp/B000L9PL4K/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

Probably overkill.

I'm definitely overthinking this.