Wondering how to make your Christmas tree look taller? Here is a step by step guide and easy hack to do it on a budget!

When I was a kid, my dad and I always got into a fight at the Christmas tree lot.

See, my parents have a 2-story foyer, and I hated how “small” trees looked in it.

I wanted a 10-footer, at least.

My dad wasn’t trying to spend that kind of money on a dead tree. I also doubt he felt like man handling a 10 foot tree by himself. 

We always fought about it at the tree lot, but it ended up being OK once we got the “smaller” tree home and set up.

That is because my dad actually used this hack to make their tree look taller.

And even though the room that we now put our tree in is much less grand than my parent’s entryway, Sean and I do this as well!

This is a fantastic holiday money saving hack.

See, you pay for Christmas trees based on height.

This DIY Christmas tree stand will add at least a foot to your tree.

So, you are literally saving money by using this stand and buying a shorter tree!

Here’s how to make a Christmas tree seem taller!

Make sure you know how to fluff your artificial Christmas tree properly!

How to make your Christmas tree look taller

The trick to making your Christmas tree look taller is to build a raised stand. A DIY Christmas tree box stand lifts the tree up an extra foot or more! An elevated tree looks larger than one right on the floor.

This stand isn’t gorgeous, sure. But, it is easy and inexpensive to build from plywood and makes it easy to raise your Christmas tree.

Looking for a prettier stand? Here is our DIY wooden tree stand that also raises your tree! This one doesn’t need a tree skirt over it.

This stand is super easy to build with just a few tools. Attach your plastic stand to it and your tree will be raised!

You could also do this with a fake tree. You will just need to examine the base of that tree and determine how to best attach it to the box.

You do NOT want your tree to fall off this box. It’s stable, but you should attach the stand to the box to be safe.

How to make a Christmas Tree Riser Platform

Here’s what materials you’ll need to make a box Christmas tree stand riser to make your tree taller and how to do it!

This is a simple DIY Christmas tree box stand designed to be covered, but you can also build one that stands out as a statement piece and looks beautiful!

What you need to build a raised Christmas tree stand:

• 1 sheet of 1/2″ or 3/4″ plywood
• Screws
• Plastic Christmas tree holder

How to build a raised Christmas tree stand:

1. Start by cutting a square of plywood about six inches wider than your tree holder to serve as the top
2. Cut two 12″ wide strips of plywood the full length of two sides of your top
3. Cut two more 12″ wide strips of plywood the length of the sides, but subtract twice the thickness of your plywood
4. Attach the two longer strips to the top first using screws and wood glue, then attach the two shorter strips, forming a box
5. Use screws to attach the sides to each other for stability
6. Use screws to attach your plastic Christmas tree stand to the top

You can make your box taller by making the 12″ tall sides as tall as you want, but remember that it can be unsafe to have something too tall, especially if you have children or pets that might pull at the tree or try to climb the stand.

If your tree is already tall, make this beautiful round slatted tree collar is a great Christmas tree base idea!

How to cover a Christmas tree stand

I cover the whole stand with a tree skirt. My favorite hack is to use a beautiful blanket or tablecloth as a cheaper alternative to a real tree skirt.

Be sure to check out 7 DIY Christmas tree collar ideas!

Once it is surrounded by presents, no one even notices that it is on a raised box. 

Plus, it makes more room for presents and gifts underneath the tree.

I love this Christmas tree hack and hope that it helps you to save money and have a taller tree this Christmas!

Our DIY box Christmas tree stand (that also raises your tree!)

Click here to see my tutorial for a DIY Christmas tree skirt.

Other ideas to use as a DIY Christmas tree platform:

Use any of these items and cover with fabric, a sheet, a table cloth, etc, then top with a tree skirt!

• Stacked wood boards (very securely stacked)
• Crates upside down
• Wooden pallet, cut in half maybe

How to set up a Christmas tree stand

Whether you use a DIY Christmas tree riser or not, you’ll still need to set up your Christmas tree stand. There are all sorts of stands, but most of them involve securing the tree trunk inside the base and adjusting the tilt.

Some tree stands have you put the base of your Christmas tree into a small tube and then putting the tube into the stand and adjusting. Others just put the tree directly into the stand.

To set either of these up, it’s best to have 2-3 people if possible. Have someone holding the tree up and making adjustments to make sure it’s straight, have someone standing back to make sure it’s straight, and have someone at the base of the tree to tighten the screws to stabilize it in place.

How tall should my Christmas tree be?

Your Christmas tree should be tall enough to look appropriate in the space you have it. Also remember that trees are priced by height, so only purchase what you can afford.

If you have a standard height ceiling in the 8-11 foot height range, you should have your Christmas tree be as tall as about 6″ shorter than the ceiling height. You can use the DIY tree platform in this post to add about a foot to the height of your tree, but make sure you also account for the height of your tree topper.

If you have tall ceilings, get whatever size you think is appropriate for you and you can add height with our DIY box Christmas tree stand.

Any other Christmas tree hacks?