To set up a real Christmas tree, first choose its spot, away from any heating. Fix the cross stand to the trunk, stand the tree up straight, then cut the netting starting from the bottom. With a water-reservoir stand, give the trunk a fresh cut and put it in water within the hour. Wait until the next day to decorate: the branches will have regained their shape.
What should you prepare before the tree is delivered?
Two things: the spot and the stand. Measure the room and pick a corner at least two metres from any radiator, stove or fireplace, out of direct sunlight. Clear the way between the door and that corner: a netted tree fits through anywhere, an opened one far less easily.
We deliver our trees, Nordmann fir or Norway spruce, without a stand. Our wooden cross stand can be chosen on the tree’s product page, or bought separately. If you already have a water-reservoir stand, it will do the job, as long as the trunk fits into it.
How do you set up your tree on delivery day?
The driver hands you the tree, still netted, at your door. Then, in this order:
- Carry it to its spot still in its netting, and leave it like that for a few hours: it adjusts gently from the cold to the warmth.
- Fix the cross stand to the foot of the trunk with the tree lying down, then stand it up. Or place the trunk in your water-reservoir stand and tighten it. Walk around it to check it is straight, and turn its best side towards the room.
- Remove the netting with scissors, from the bottom up, without nicking the branches.
- Give it water if it is in a water-reservoir stand: give the trunk a fresh cut of 1 cm at the base just before, and fill the reservoir within the hour.
Wooden cross stand or water-reservoir stand: which to choose?
| Criterion | Wooden cross stand | Water-reservoir stand |
|---|---|---|
| Where to get it | From us, with the tree | If you already have one |
| Stability | Straight on any type of floor | Depends on the model |
| Water | No reservoir | The trunk drinks from the reservoir |
| Fresh cut of the trunk | Not needed | 1 cm, just before putting it in water |
On the cross stand, the tree lives on its reserves: a cool room and misted branches slow down its drying out. In a water-reservoir stand, it drinks a lot during the first few days; how much and how often are in our guide to caring for a real tree.
When should you decorate the tree after setting it up?
The next day. Compressed by the netting, the branches take about a day to open out. Decorated too early, the tree loses its shape under the weight of the baubles and the lights end up unevenly spread. Start with the lights, then the baubles: the order and quantities are in our guide to decorating your tree.
Not chosen the size yet? See what size tree for your ceiling.
Key points to remember
- Choose the spot before delivery, at least two metres from any heating.
- The netting stays on for a few hours, then is cut from the bottom up.
- The wooden cross stand keeps the tree straight, without water; a water-reservoir stand gives it water.
- With a water-reservoir stand: a fresh cut of 1 cm and into water within the hour.
- Decorate the next day, once the branches have opened.
