What Size Christmas Tree Do You Need for Your Ceiling?

Every year someone buys a tree outside under an open sky, gets it home, and can't fit the topper on. Here's the math so that's not you.

The rule

Ceiling height minus one foot equals tree height. The foot covers the stand (about 6 inches) and the topper (about 6 inches). If you use a tall star or angel, subtract a little more.

Why trees look smaller on the lot

Outdoors, with nothing around it, a 9-foot tree looks medium. Inside a room with an 8-foot ceiling it looks enormous, because it is. Measure your ceiling before you come. Every tree on our lots is tagged by height, so you can find your number and stop guessing.

Width counts too

A Noble Fir is roughly two-thirds as wide as it is tall. A 9-foot Noble is about 6 feet across at the base. A Nordmann is a bit wider; a Douglas is bushier still. Measure the corner it's going in, and remember that a corner placement hides the back, so a slightly lopsided tree is fine.

What fits in your car

• Up to 7 ft: fits baled in most cars, SUVs and trucks with the seats down.
• 8–9 ft: roof rack or truck bed. Bring a blanket for the roof and we'll tie it down for you.
• 10–12 ft: take delivery. We bring it, install it, and remove it in January.

The stand

The number one cause of a leaning or fallen tree is a stand that's too small. A 6–7 ft tree needs a stand rated for 7 feet with a gallon of water capacity. Anything 10 feet and up needs a heavy-duty stand. We sell both on the lot, and if we deliver and install, we bring one that fits.

Once it is up, here is how to keep a real Christmas tree fresh in Texas. Still deciding on species? Compare Noble, Nordmann and Douglas Fir.