That plain ol' plastic Christmas tree stand you've used for years is on its way out. But wait! You don't need to head to the big box store to score some under-the-tree holiday decor. Nope. Instead of a ready-made stand, we have a ho-ho-holiday-rific DIY tutorial for you to try.
The tree skirt is unfolded and ready to go, the Christmas tree decorations (yes, we're talking about the mountain of Christmas ornaments you've collected) are unboxed, and Amazon just delivered a zillion teeny twinkle lights. Now what? It's time to put the mother of all xmas home decor up!
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Things You'll Need
Tree
Galvanized metal bucket
Tape measure
Power drill
1/4-inch drill bits
Four clothesline hooks with nuts
Marble rocks or garden gravel
8-inch round plastic food container
How to make your own Christmas tree stand
Don't stress if you're not on a Martha Stewart DIY tree stand level. Whether crafting a DIY Christmas tree stand is basically a normal Saturday for you or you're a holiday season project novice, this step-by-step tutorial can help.
Gather the materials
Making a rustic farmhouse Christmas tree stand for your living room (or any other indoor space) is easy. For smaller trees (5 to 6 feet tall), you need a galvanized metal bucket, tape measure, power drill with 1/4-inch drill bits, four clothesline hooks with nuts, marble rocks or garden gravel, and an 8-inch round plastic food container. If you usually buy larger trees or use a tall artificial Christmas tree, get everything a bit bigger.
Tip
Forget about pricey holiday decor materials. Save your Christmas cash to spend on the fam and your BFFs. Scour the local Dollar Tree or similar stores to score less expensive materials.
Drill holes and add gravel
Start the DIY project by drilling four equally spaced holes in the bucket half an inch down from the top using the 1/4-inch drill bit. Measure the circumference of the bucket and then divide by four to determine the exact spots for the holes.
Next, add the gravel or rocks to the bottom of the bucket. If you're using stones, you'll want about two layers; if you use gravel, aim for about 1 inch of coverage from the bottom.
Warning
You want the gravel or rocks to be level because you'll rest the food container on top of it, and you don't want that to be unstable.
Add the food container
Add the food container below the drilled holes. Secure the container by filling the rest of the bucket on the sides with rocks or gravel.
The next step is adding and securing the hooks. Put the clothesline hooks through the holes, putting the first nut at the bottom of the crook but do not tighten the second nut yet. Screw each hook into the hole by turning it clockwise until it reaches the cut at the bottom of the crook. Secure each of them using the second nut to secure it against the pail.
Set up the DIY Christmas tree stand
Place your new Christmas tree base wherever you want your tree to go in your home, loosening the hooks a little bit so that you can secure the tree. Make sure that you make an even number of turns on each hook.
Put the tree into the stand in the middle of the four hooks. Tighten each hook evenly by making the same number of turns in each hole. Keep going until the hooks are secure and the tree is stable. You're now ready to decorate your tree and enjoy your new farmhouse Christmas tree stand!
Tip
You don’t have to set the stand directly on the ground. Cover the space with a burlap tree skirt or another similar decor idea.
Decorate the DIY Christmas tree stand
There are many other ways to bring the farmhouse feel (a.k.a. rustic Christmas tree chic) to your holiday decor. You can even utilize more Dollar Tree buckets to continue the look. Add Christmas tree branches, tie bows and put twinkle lights in them. Arrange them around the tree as accents! Looking for more decor ideas? You can do the same with watering cans, milk buckets or other farmhouse accessories.
Stencil a favorite holiday song lyric on an accent sign or directly onto the DIY stand. Use a general word or phrase, such as "joy," "peace on earth" or "merry Christmas." If none of these phrases spark joy for you, write another holiday sentiment that speaks to you.
That's it! Now that your stand is ready, the real tree (or artificial Christmas tree) is set up and you've graced the Christmas tree skirt with the best gifts you can find, it's time for the man in the big red suit to make his annual appearance.