There’s an easy way to make your Christmas tree appear taller while making room for gifts beneath the tree, and it involves a quick trip to Home Depot and some basic DIY skills. This has been updated to include specific instructions for building your platform!
Laura had a keen observation several years ago and we’ve changed the way we display our Christmas trees every year as a result of her attention to detail. You know how when you go into a store or a building and it seems like the Christmas trees look so fabulous compared to the one in your living room? It may be partly because of the garland, the heavy concentration of lights, the matching ornaments or even the size of the tree. But wait, there’s more…the Christmas trees are often elevated! I had never noticed!
The branches are not just inches from the ground. The tree seems gigantic. I thought elevating the Christmas tree was genius! You may be thinking, “okay, so why is that a big deal”? Well, when there is more space between the floor and the tree, it stands out. If you love your Christmas tree skirt, you can see it better. Plus, it makes gift display easier.
Gifts Under the Tree
This year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have broken records. People are spending more money and buying more gifts. Wrapping those gifts and placing them under the tree is so much easier when you have more room to work with. And if you’re one of those people who puts effort into gift wrapping, you can appreciate it more when you can actually see the gifts under the tree. Because it’s square, there are really two levels for gifts. I usually put the smaller ones on the top and the larger ones around the bottom. As a result, we have a great view of all gifts.
DIY Project
Thankfully my husband is handy, so when I asked him if he could build something to elevate the trees, he went to work with some plywood. The living room tree, which is 10′ tall, is elevated approximately 14″. Once we put the angel on the tree, it almost skims the 12′ ceiling.
The tree in our kitchen/family room area is smaller (7′) and he made the stand a little smaller, too. It’s elevated about 12″. It’s actually a cost savings, too, because you end up buying a tree that is about a foot shorter than you would have without the elevated stand!
Here’s what you’ll need to build a platform to hold a medium-large tree:
(2) pieces of 2″ x 6″ x 8ft. lumber and saw capable of cutting this size
(1) 2ft x x2ft x 1/4″ piece of plywood
(30) drywall screws, 2 1/2″-3″ in length
(1) electric drill with a bit for driving screws
Here’s how you do it:
(2) long legs, 28″ each
(2) short legs, 17″ each
(4) corner pieces, 11″ each
(4) legs, 9″ each
EnJOY!
Whatever your tree preference, we hope you find joy in this holiday season!
Cheers! –Kalisa
