to expect the ruddy Christmas tree to stay up in its holder without falling over?????

[CocktailQueen]

Bought a 7-foot Nordman fir Xmas tree today, got it home, chopped a bit off the bottom and put it in our Xmas tree holder (one of those that you tighten 4 screws on each side). It stayed up for 5 mins then fell over. And repeat, and repeat. Grrrr. The tree holder worked fine last year! It is one of those that has a screw that you screw into the base of the tree then put it in the pot but we can't find the screw this year bloody DH - should that make any difference??? Thanks.

[Renatica]

YANBU. Tis not Christmas until you've cursed the damn thing to hell and back.

[TheWalkingDead]

What you need is one of these. Pricey but well worth it imo. It takes us two minutes to put the tree up and we've never had an problems. Watering is easy too.

Although I understand that doesn't help you now, so I recommend

[mrskeithrichards]

One year my dh filled a bucket with concrete and put an empty silicon tube in it to stand the tree into. Weighed a ton but worked!

[cozietoesie]

You need gin to put up the Xmas tree, CocktailQueen. Then, if it's squint, you won't notice!

[Flossiechops]

We have this most years. I have visions of us all laughing merrily sipping mulled wine and listening to cheery Christmas tunes whilst putting up our tree in a vision of perfection. Instead dh ends up effing and jeffing for what feels like hours whilst me and the dc end up feeling completely stressed, the effing tree won't stand up straight and dh looks as though he may have a coronary! It's just part of the Christmas magic I'm afraid!

[NulliusInBlurba]

Walking Dead - we have precisely that model and it still takes us up to an hour on occasions to get the fecking thing straight. We've worked out now that one of us has to actually lie down under the tree, and guide the trunk onto precisely the middle of the spike, so all four side spikes are the same distance apart. The the person holding the tree - wearing thick gloves of course - gently lowers the tree onto the spike and does the foot operating thing. Then person lying under tree locks it into place by moving the metal bit down (this will be incomprehensible if you actually have a slightly different model).

Then we let go and discover the accursed object has a 2 degree tilt again, but this time in a different direction to the previous tilt.

Then we start all over again

[TheWalkingDead]

Ah, I see! Well, I hope you managed to get it staying uprightish overnight

[CocktailQueen]

Yay. Tree is now up. DH popped in to Homebase and got a spare screwy bit for it. Seems to have worked Thanks all :)

[cardibach]

THe screw is the bit that holds the tree tight and stops it going sideways. It is the going sideways which is causing it to topple, so, yes it does make a difference!
YABU to expect the tree to stay up with nothing holding it!

[CocktailQueen]

Hmm. I will take control of the screw when we unscrew it from the tree this year then!!!!