How Big a Christmas Tree Should I Buy?

I don't recall the first year when we decided to purchase a live tree. I do know that it is now central to our holiday celebration, as the selection of a tree has become a family tradition.

The prep process we use is not quite 'by guess and by golly', but pretty darn close. We know where we are placing the tree­ (we have a 1-1/2 story entryway). The location requires the tree to be narrow, about 5-feet in diameter.

When we went looking for a tree last year, we found the perfect one or so we thought. The diameter turned out okay and the height was ok, but the 10-feet of tree was a challenge to unload and setup. It did work and looked great once it was set in place.

There are better ways to prepare for the tree than our method. Here is one I recommend:

How wide should my tree be?

After you determine where in your home you wish to display your tree, go grab a tape measure. Measure how wide the tree should be to fit the location. Remember that not only will you need to get the tree into the house and at the location (the tree will probably be wrapped, making this an easy task) you will also need to remove it. Getting a tree through the house and out the door after it has bushed out is not an easy chore.

Determining the height of your tree.
There are many things to consider when determining the maximum height of the tree you are selecting. I think pickyourownchristmastree.org does an excellent job explaining this.

1. First measure the room height.
2. Then subtract 1-foot for any tree top ornament.
3. Next subtract the height a tree stand will add to the tree, usually about 6-inches.
4. If you are going to set a tree on a base or table, subtract the height of the base or table.
5. You will need to remove 6-inches of the bottom of a pre-cut tree so it will draw water. Add 6-inches to the total height.

Example: 10-foot ceiling, minus 1-foot for top ornament, minus 6-inches for tree stand, no base or table for our tree just the stand, our tree is cut fresh at the farm so no need to cut off an additional 6-inches = Total maximum height of our tree is 8.5 feet

Hopefully you found this helpful. Next I will discuss what to look for when picking out the tree.
The Home Know-It-All