How to Put Up an Artificial Christmas Tree

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: July 1, 2021 References

Artificial Christmas trees are a fantastic substitute to natural ones and have a whole host of advantages. They don’t shed, they last forever, and you can get them in any size you like! Putting them up is reasonably easy and with a little bit of patience, you’ll have your very own tree up and ready for Christmas in no time!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Preparing the Space for Your Tree

1
Find an area away from any potential hazards. When setting up a Christmas tree, making sure that it is in a safe location is of paramount importance. A tree falling over is not only a huge danger, it’s also incredibly inconvenient.^{[1]
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Research source} Some of the potential hazards to be aware of and avoid may include:
- A fireplace
- Wind coming from open windows
- Children playing
- Ceiling fans
- Pets
2
Use an area that you and your family can all gather around. In the spirit of Christmas, there’s nothing better than having all your family and friends gathered around a Christmas tree and enjoying each other’s company. To create this atmosphere, the tree needs to act as a focal point in an area that everyone can gather around.^{[2]
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- Corners work really well as locations for Christmas trees as everyone can group around them and have the tree in the middle.
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3
Move any furniture that may be in the way. It’s normal not to have room for a Christmas tree with all your furniture out so you may have to move some of it around. Consider arranging your couches or chairs in a different formation or even just removing some if there are too many.
- Get some friends round one day and experiment with what arrangement works best for you.
- Don’t be afraid to remove furniture completely if you need to. Often people are more than happy to sit on the ground and other places during Christmas time!^{[3]
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4
Put up a small fence to keep your pets away. This is really important to ensure that not only your pet is safe, but your tree as well. Pets can get very curious when something new like a Christmas tree gets put up and if your pets are large enough, they may easily be able to knock it over.
- This is not only a huge risk for everything around the tree but also your pet.
- Putting up a small fence to keep your pets out is the easiest way to keep them out. You can buy these from any major pet goods store.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Assembling the Tree

1
Remove the tree from its packaging. There will be several pieces of equipment in the box and the best way to get your bearings is to lay all the bits and pieces out on the ground. If there are plastic bags of little nuts or bolts, tear a small hole so you have easy access when you need them.
- It can also be a good idea to check the list of what the box is supposed to contain just so you can check that everything is there. This will save you a lot of time if you happen to be missing anything.^{[4]
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2
Set up the Christmas tree stand. This will form the base of the tree so it’s really important that this is set up correctly and strongly. Each tree will vary slightly in the exact instructions of how to put together the base, but if you follow them exactly, your base will be set up in no time.
- As a general rule, the base should form an ‘X’ shape when it has been spread out and correctly put together.^{[5]
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3
Find the longest branch section. The “trunk” will be split into several sections represented by letters ‘A’ through whatever the last section is labeled. ‘A’ always represents the top of the tree so find the section that is furthest from ‘A’.
- The longest section will also generally be the largest and most bushy so if you’re having trouble differentiating between the sections, find the largest one.^{[6]
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4
Secure the first section of the “trunk” into the tree base. Depending on what type of tree you have you may have to secure it with a bolt or some other mechanism. The tree will start to take shape now.
- Follow the instructions exactly as written as it’s really important that the base and the first section of the tree are secure.^{[7]
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5
Continue repeating this process working backward from the last letter. Keep attaching the parts of the trunk together. These will also be labeled with a letter. Make sure each section is securely fastened in before you attempt to put another one on top.^{[8]
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- For example, if the bottom section of the trunk is labeled 'D' then the next section you attach is 'C' and so on.
- The branches get smaller and smaller with each section until you finally reach the top.
6
"Fluff" your tree’s branches as much as you like. The branches will be bunched up to make packaging easier but now is the time to fluff them up and make them look like real Christmas tree branches! One technique when fluffing is to separate the wires evenly with your hands, and work from the bottom up.^{[9]
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- Stepping back and taking a look from a few steps away will help you get a better perspective on the general shape of the tree and which areas need more attention than others.
7
Decorate your tree to your heart’s content! One of many people's favorite parts of Christmas is decorating the tree. You can use lights, globes, confetti, and even a star or an angel at the top.^{[10]
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Research source} Looking online is a great place to start if you are struggling to find inspiration!

Community Q&A

Question

How do I put up the leg stand for a Christmas tree?

Carmilly

Community Answer

The tree most likely came with an instruction manual with that information inside. If you can't find it, you can call the manufacturer and they will most likely help you.
Question

What if the attachments are of different sizes and they don't fit?

OKcowgirl03

Community Answer

They should fit together just fine. Make sure you are putting the pieces together in the right order. Sometimes the pieces need to be rotated.
Question

Plastic foot inserted upside-down in artificial Christmas tree. How can I remove plastic foot without breaking it?

Christopher

Top Answerer

Most offer an easy push-to-eject function that, if pushed just right, will allow the foot to come out without breaking. Give it a little more force, and with the end of your thumb, push the foot from the base outward. Few will have a one-touch button that will eject all at once, but they do sporadically pop up.