Maybe you're looking to do something a little bit different this year with your holiday tree, like a ceiling Christmas tree. Perhaps you have small children or pets who continuously try to knock down the tree and all its Christmas lights and ornaments. Maybe you're following a Polish tradition that dates back to before the 1500s, or you're hanging your tree upside down for personal reasons or to follow this fresh DIY Christmas tree trend.
However you've gotten there, you've decided that instead of the usual method, this holiday season you're going to be hanging an upside down Christmas tree from your ceiling.
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For this twist on typical holiday decor, read on.
Things You'll Need
Real or artificial tree
Tree stand, wooden board or ceiling hood
Wire
Stud finder
Drywall screws
Lights, extension cords
Lightweight decorations
Planning your hanging Christmas tree
Suppose you're considering hanging a Christmas tree this year. In that case, you're probably looking at a small tree or set of branches, an artificial Christmas tree or a more modern design. None of these are likely to need significant structure and scaffolding to get them in place. Small trees and branch arrangements can add holiday spirit without taking up significant amounts of space. Fully hanging upside-down trees are more likely to be artificial since they're lighter and easier to shape as needed. Take a look at your options and then decide which will work best for you.
Christmas trees hung from the ceiling take up less floor space than traditional trees, especially when hung upside down, so you'll want to consider that when deciding where and how to hang your tree. If you're going to have lights, ensure that the tree is close enough to an outlet that you can run an extension cord without introducing a tripping hazard. Alternatively, consider battery-powered lights for smaller decorations.
Hanging your Christmas tree
Are you wondering how to hang a Christmas tree upside down? The most important part of hanging a tree from the ceiling is making sure everything is supported. It will ruin Christmas if everyone runs downstairs in the morning to find a gaping hole in your living room ceiling drywall.
Figure out the weight of the tree you're intending to hang and determine whether it will need to be mounted to a ceiling joist or if you can use heavy-duty drywall screws to attach the tree. If you need to stick to the beams and joists, you'll have limited places you can hang your tree.
Tip
For larger, heaver trees, we suggest using a stud finder, also used to find joists and beams in the ceiling, to find a good place on your ceiling that will support the weight of the tree and its ornaments.
Upside-down trees are often attached to a base or stand with wire and then turned upside-down so that the base or stand can then be attached to the ceiling. You can also use a flat piece of wood as the base using strong wire to connect the trunk and lower branches of the tree to points on the wooden flat, which can then be screwed into place. You may also decide to use a hook from the ceiling for your upside down Christmas tree. You can then reuse this for other decorations throughout the year.
Decorating a hanging tree
Whether it's right side up or upside down, take care when decorating a hanging inverted Christmas tree. Leave off heavier Christmas ornaments and baubles that add weight to the installation and focus on lighter decorations like bows, pine cones or tinsel. Consider a lightweight tree topper to finish the bottom.
Any ornaments you do hang should be shatterproof since there are no branches beneath to catch them if they fall. Shatterproof ornaments are usually also lightweight. Since it can be harder to reach an electrical plug with a hanging tree, consider fairy or battery-powered LED lights to keep the mood light and magical. Merry Christmas!