More details on how to make little Christmas trees for free
By The Horse
@TheHorse (206231)
Walnut Creek, California
December 2, 2015 12:38pm CST
Several people asked me to provide more detail on how I make the little Christmas trees I give away during the Holidays. Hopefully, this post will be of help. The first step is to go to your local Christmas tree place and ask them to save some of the little disks they chain saw off of the bottoms of the trees. Some will have several available the first time you stop by. The will also have low branches they've sawed off to make room for the base and for presents.
Once you have the materials home, choose some of prettiest "tops" you can find, and cut them off. I just use a large pair of scissors. I usually cut off about 8" to 12". The next step it to "whittle" the bottom of your branch top into an elongated cone shape. Most of my whittled "cones" are about 3/4" long. I'll try to take a picture of this step and attach it to a comment.
You're now ready to make a hole in your little disk to receive the branch top. I use a 2 3/4" nail and a pretty big hammer. The key is to angle your hole about 30 degrees from perpendicular (leaning BACK), so your branch doesn't lean too far forward when you twist it in. Hammer the nail in about 1/2", wiggle it around, end then go a little deeper. Be careful not to go too deep without wiggling, or you'll have a hard time getting the nail out!
Once you have a nice, slightly conical hole, gently twist your whittled branch bottom into the hole. Voila! You have a little Christmas tree that will delight little kids (and adult kids as well). My initial picture will be of some disks, a branch, the materials I used, and one of my first trees of the season.
54 people like this
43 responses
@TheHorse (206231)
• Walnut Creek, California
2 Dec 15
Thanks for the comment. I'll attach a picture of my "whitteled" branch bottom later in the day when I get back to work on some trees. If I get more comments, I'll comment back and add a picture of the nail in at the proper angle.
5 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
2 Dec 15
@Marcyaz another way to obtain a cheap and easy tree for me
2 people like this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
2 Dec 15
Coming from a place where Christmas is not one of the local festivals, and being a non Christian, I did never try getting one of these special plants/trees for Christmas. It was also not until 2004 that I had one plant in my room with lights on it.
So this discussion of yours does give me a better idea of how to go about it. I have seen plants with such so very thin leaves they use as Christmas Tree in a room/house. And some smaller versions (in a flower pot) are now-a-days available on sale here at some of the shops too.
If you would allow me ask, are there any specific rules in terms of how many branches the small plant/tree should have? (I ask this because here, in India, when using trees or even plants or even leaves for holy/religious reasons, there are some religious rules that you are expected to follow). If this can help - I plan to get a plant of say 2-3 feet tall.
5 people like this
@ElicBxn (63250)
• United States
2 Dec 15
There are no rules about branches or sizes. I've seen tiny trees, and there are giant trees.
Even a religion 2000 years old doesn't have that many traditions, especially when they go "stealing" them from other religions, like the "tree" is.
(Now watch all those who don't know the REAL tradition of the "tree" go nuts!)
3 people like this
@ElicBxn (63250)
• United States
3 Dec 15
@akalinus Its a modern "retelling" of pagan practices. Don't try to tell a history fanatic, and an Orthodox Christian what the REAL history of the tree is. Its a stolen pagan symbol.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Christmas tree (disambiguation). Glade jul by Viggo Johansen (1891) Young woman decorates the Christmas tree, painting by Marcel Rieder (1862-1942) from 1898 A Christmas
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@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
2 Dec 15
These are some nice tips. I had bought me an 8 foot fiber optic tree a few years ago. That's what I am using. But, I am thinking ahead for next year now. I want something more modern. Something more digital. Something easy. So, I am thinking about getting a 3D holographic tree. Or at the very least a projected image of one in 3D.
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@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
3 Dec 15
@TheHorse Nice!!! Now we are talking modern. I did see this tree on QVC that is already loaded with 250 lights and folds when your done with it. Seems like something that would work for me. I love christmas but I cannot do what I used to do. That is why I am thinking about a hologram. Instead of genetically enhanced whisky, lets just get a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label. Nice!!!
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@LeaPea2417 (36486)
• Toccoa, Georgia
2 Dec 15
That is a great idea and very creative.
5 people like this
@WendySpickerman (983)
• United States
2 Dec 15
Wow what a great idea. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I think it would be a really great way to decorate the home or something to give as a gift.
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
2 Dec 15
That sounds like an awesome project. Something my sister would understand and do, but me, nope I don't get the instructions and thats because I'm not artsy. But thanks for sharing your craft that is very sweet of you
2 people like this
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
3 Dec 15
@TheHorse I am so glad you have the confidence that you can do it. Unfortunately I do not, but thats ok its not very everyone as God made us all different and special.
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
3 Dec 15
I think that would be a really fun thing? How many would you estimate you do during the holidays?
2 people like this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
3 Dec 15
@TheHorse Yes we have a tree but it is called el-fako or a mock tree. Some people just use the very long needle sort of pine trees we have growing in some yards to decorate them. But here the run on el-fako or mock trees is on now. I think the markets just started to get their shipments in now and they have been decorating for the last 3 or 4 days here. The new displays are just starting to appear in some stores now and the larger stored did their decorating over the weekend. Sunday most all markets close around noon. After this they decorate for Monday the 1st of December. So now the stores are all festive and sort of looking like Christmas.
1 person likes this
@deeraj005 (132)
• Mumbai, India
3 Dec 15
Now this is a helpful post!! But isn't the tree a bit too short?? :P Nevermind.
2 people like this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
2 Dec 15
Great Idea! I have a bunch of wood disks from Dino's shop and plenty of pine and cedar trees around I could trim. Thank you so much for giving me a craft idea I can really use. 
2 people like this
@TheHorse (206231)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 Dec 15
@Namelesss Sometimes they last for months! But they'll certainly last through Christmas.
2 people like this
@Namelesss (3368)
• United States
2 Dec 15
@TheHorse Oooo thanks for the close up. Such a simple and quick thing to do. These should last through Christmas shouldn't they? Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow after I do dad's grocery shopping? 
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
17 Feb 17
Very impressive. I think I'll settle for a smaller Christmas tree this year. This one suit me just fine!
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
18 Feb 17
@TheHorse I don't have to worry about that as I don't have friends. 
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@TheHorse (206231)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 Feb 17
@allen0187 Well, give them to your enemies then.
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@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
2 Dec 15
This is an idea most can do.
2 people like this
@akalinus (40549)
• United States
3 Dec 15
I love it. I do not understand the 30 degree angle but it sounds easy enough. Would be a nice project to make the little trees, decorate them with packages of dollar store decorations and take them to nursing homes or sick people who are shut in. Just an idea.
How long do these trees last? There is no way to keep them watered.
