What’s a Tree Skirt?
A tree skirt is a decorative cloth that surrounds the base of a Christmas tree. The primary function of a tree skirt in the past may have been to protect the floor from wax candle drippings and fallen needles, but today they’re not simply functional. Tree skirts can be a stylish part of your holiday décor.
While dripping candle wax is no longer a concern for Christmas trees, tree skirts still keep needles and sap from fresh-cut trees off of your floor or out of your carpet. And with fresh-cut Christmas trees and artificial Christmas trees alike:
- A tree skirt offers a decorative way to conceal a tree stand.
- A tree skirt can coordinate with your Christmas tree ornaments to create a consistent theme from your tree topper all the way to the floor.
- A tree skirt creates an attractive backdrop for gifts around a Christmas tree.
How to Choose a Tree Skirt Size
Color and design are certainly considerations in choosing the best tree skirt, but for any style to look right, you need to size the skirt to fit the tree. First and foremost, the skirt should fully conceal the tree stand. Beyond that, both tree height and tree diameter are the best factors you can use for sizing a tree skirt.
There aren’t any hard and fast rules to match tree skirt size to tree size, but we’ve got some general tips to help you find the right size tree skirt.
Tree Skirt Size Based On Tree Height
Sizing your tree skirt based on the height of your tree is a good way to start. The skirt will look proportional to the tree and, since you likely use the same size tree every Christmas, you’ll have a skirt that can look good for years to come.
Small Tree Skirts for Trees Up to 5 Feet Tall
If you need a skirt for a 1- to 2-foot tabletop tree, consider an 18- to 20-inch tree skirt. However, keep the tree’s location in mind. If the skirt is large enough to drape off of the table, countertop, etc., it may be easy for a passerby to accidentally catch and could result in a toppled tree.
Small Christmas trees between 4 and 5 feet in height typically need a 20- to 40-inch tree skirt, depending on how narrow or full the tree is.
Medium Tree Skirts for Trees 5 to 7 Feet Tall
Christmas trees that range from 5 feet to 7-1/2 feet in height look best with a 38- to 60-inch tree skirt. Since this range of tree sizes is common in homes, you’ll find there’s a suitably large selection of skirts that work well with medium-sized trees.
Large Tree Skirts for Trees 7-1/2 to 16 Feet Tall
Large Christmas trees 7-1/2 or taller really have a lot of visual impact. They need a proportionally large 72-inch tree skirt or larger. Of course, a skirt this size takes up a lot of floor space, but as long as you have room for one of these trees, the skirt shouldn’t look out of place.
Tree Skirt Size Based On Tree Diameter
You’ll notice the tree skirt size ranges above are fairly large and you may see other skirt sizes as well. Tree diameter is another factor that can help you find the best tree skirt. Keep these principals in mind:
- To protect your floor or carpet from the needles and sap a fresh-cut tree can drop — and to look right with any type of tree — the diameter of the tree skirt needs to be larger than the diameter of the lower branches of the tree.
- A skirt that’s too large will be overpowering and can draw attention away from the tree and other decorations. And, if the skirt extends too much beyond the tree, it may put your family and guests at risk of tripping.
- In general, a tree skirt can extend from about 4 to 6 inches beyond the lowest branches of the tree. That’s a fairly wide range, so you’ve got some flexibility that lets you find a skirt that best suits your holiday décor.
Need help finding a Christmas tree to be the centerpiece of holiday cheer? We’ve got tips to help you find the best fresh-cut tree or find the best artificial tree for your home.
Christmas Tree Skirt Ideas
Once you know the size range you need, look at colors, patterns and designs. There’s a variety of options, particularly if you have a medium-sized tree, making it easy to match a tree skirt to your holiday décor.
- To carry on a traditional feel, look for simple patterns and colors in red, green, silver and gold.
- Plaid tree skirts can range from familiar reds and greens to the rustic appeal of a red and black buffalo plaid.
- If you have a particular theme with your decorations — snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, Santas, dachshunds, etc. — chances are good you can find a skirt with matching or complementary designs.
- For a holiday décor style that’s more modern or glitzy, look for decorative tree skirts with sequins and foil fabrics.
- And, if you just want to make your tree the focus of attention, go with a classic white tree skirt.
What Can I Use Instead of a Tree Skirt?
If the concept of a tree skirt seems too traditional or you need a more compact option, a tree collar is the perfect alternative. A tree collar fits around the base of a Christmas tree, looking much like a pot or container. You can find this alternative to tree skirts in wood, metal and woven materials. They won’t keep needles or sap off of your floor, but the right design can be a surprising, eye-catching accent for your tree.
Like tree skirts, you can find tree collars in a range of designs from rustic to modern so you can easily find one that works with your decorations.
Tree Collar Size
The main rules for sizing a tree collar are:
- Find one that fits around your tree stand and that fits under the lowest row of branches.
- If you have a fresh-cut tree, make sure there’s room to water it.
- Keep proportion in mind. As with skirts, a collar that’s too large will make the tree look smaller than it is and an undersized collar may make the tree look unstable.