What do you put under the Christmas tree?

[LittleFroggie]

Other than presents. We have a special stand for real trees and it’s really good at keeping them straight and as fresh as possible - but it’s not the best looking thing in the world. I’m wondering how to make it look better this year. Thank you!

Hessian sack. Got a large one from the usual online platform that stocks everything and anything, literally stand the tree stand in it pull it around and tuck in any loose corners. Looks good.

I’ve got a wicker tree skirt from cox and cox

We have a selection of gorgeously wrapped empty boxes which we store away with the tree each year and use those around the base. It does look beautiful!

A tree skirt, festive cushions, a Christmas village, nativity scene, some nice blankets, smaller trees.

Our tree goes in big black bucket, the kind that builders use, full of wet gravel (reused every year).

Then I wrap the bucket in Christmassy paper, usually shiny red foil. It looks fine.

The gravel needs topping up with water nearly every day.

I crocheted a red and cream stripy skirt for ours. It's not really as big as I'd like it to be, though; I might add a few more rings to it this year. And then once it's under the tree, the kittens will probably kill it.

We have one of these, without the label obviously. Although with our two bastard cats it might have another year in the shed and we might stick with our twig wall hanging thing which looked lovely in the bay window.

www.millracegardencentre.co.uk/christmas/pgr/cinco-8-advantage-christmas-tree-stand__22203?currency=GBP&chosenAttribute=717611300114&gclid=CjwKCAjw64eJBhAGEiwABr9o2Ee9r0fhvIET1bMTiCwl6CAf_sBGuxlTUhUosj-R3m7ROyOsgUaJXRoC-t0QAvD_BwE

We just hide the stand behind presents - as we need to get access to it daily to top up the water to keep the tree fresh.

If we use the fake tree, I used to throw a length of glittery, festive coloured tartan fabric over the stand. I keep meaning to sew a skirt myself but never getting time. But might try and make time this year as I think we will need to put the fake on a stand in the playroom so it will be visible (new chair taking the tree's corner in sitting room, and new DDog both likely to interfere with it and their crate is in the alternative corner we used to use in the playroom - so a new spot entirely is needed so will be more visible).

We have the Hornby Christmas express running around the base of the tree and a hessian sack filled with fake gifts. It looks a bit crap without a tree skirt but the train would run over one.

Is this the part where I admit that I wrapped empty boxes up a few years ago in coordinating wrapping paper to my tree decorations? They do sit on the tree skirt I made but it means that instead of it looking bare waiting for presents there looks like there is a small pile!

It was inspired when my sister sent me a photo of her friend's tree and she had done the fake presents bit. It looked so good I just replicated it.

Not sure on the size you need but Wayfair has some wicker ones

Mine came with a wicker tree skirt. Looks lovely. Added the presents for everyone, so it was only noticeable after Christmas Day