Christmas Tree Setup

All Christmas trees sold by Christmas Lights Etc. use hinged construction with the exception of our Giant Commercial Trees. Hinged construction means that the branches are permanently attached on hinges connected to the tree's center pole. Assembly is a simple matter of dropping or raising the branches into place, and lights are permanently intertwined in the branches. 7.5'H Artificial trees typically come in three sections labeled A, B, and C, while 12' trees come in up to six sections and 6.5' and shorter may come in only one or two sections. Each artificial Christmas tree we sell includes a heavy-duty metal stand designed for strength and stability. Optional Christmas Storage Bags are available for preserving your Christmas tree once it is ready to be taken down for the season. Below is a guide that will assist you in the installation of your tree once it arrives.

TruTip 9' Fraser Christmas Tree

When your new Christmas tree arrives, open the boxes and verify all sections of the tree have arrived. Remove the stand from the box and set in position. You should see a setscrew on the side of the stand, which is used to set the proper alignment of the stand in its fully open position, and to set the vertical alignment of the tree once it is fully assembled. Extend the legs of the stand until the two threaded holes line up. You may need to slightly close the legs in order to get the screw holes to line up. Once you have aligned the two holes in the stand with one another, carefully rotate the screw in a clockwise direction. Continue rotating until the screw protrudes the inner wall of the stand. Back out and carefully rotate the screw counterclockwise until it is flush with the inner wall of the stand. Doing this now will prevent the possibility of later stripping the threads in the event the screw holes are not properly lined up in the stand. Stripping out the threads will render the screw unusable and you will be unable to secure the tree in the stand.

Carefully remove the first section of tree labeled "C" from the box. This is the bottom section of the tree and will be inserted into the stand. Carefully remove the outer packing from this section of tree being careful not to cut the branch material or light strings. Once the packing material has been removed, insert this section of the tree into the stand. Locate and remove any banding type material holding the branches in an upright position. Carefully lower the lowest layer of branches into their most downward position. You may elect to retie the remaining branches of this section in an upward position as you fluff one layer of branches at a time.

Fluffing a Christmas tree involves carefully manipulating the branches to achieve maximum fullness in the tree. This can be accomplished in a number of ways with the end result being the same. One method is to begin with the inner branches closest to the center pole. Carefully bend the inner branches in an outward direction from one another. Bending the inner branches after all the sections have been installed will make the task of fluffing these branches more difficult which is why we recommend you do this step first. Fluffing of the inner branches aids in camouflaging the center pole. It also contributes to the overall appearance of the tree once it has been fully fluffed. Once the inner branches have been fluffed, continue fluffing the branches in an outward manner until you reach the outermost branches and tips. The more fluffing you do now will save you less fluffing once the tree is fully assembled. There will always be a certain amount of fluffing once the tree has been fully assembled that is not evident as the tree is being assembled and fluffed.

Lower the remaining layers of this section until this section has been entirely fluffed. Prior to installing the next section of the tree, install all the light plugs and verify that all the light strings work properly and none of the lights are burned out. Refer to our resource page Testing for Faulty Bulbs if you encounter bulbs that are burned out. Once you have fluffed the entire section and have verified all the lights work properly, repeat this procedure until all sections of the tree have been installed (B and A). Take a few steps back away from the tree and look for holes where fine tune fluffing may be required. This may take a few attempts until the desired fullness is achieved. Your tree should now be ready for ornaments, decorations, and many seasons of enjoyment.

Learn more about Storing Christmas Decorations