Problem: I don't have a ton of space in my living room due to a large amount of baby items such as a play pen, jumper and baby swing.

I also have three dogs who LOVE to open christmas presents regardless of content or who the present is intended for.

So I thought, why not hang the tree upside down this year?

Fantastic.

Mounted to the studs (rafters) of the ceiling would be a decorative tree holder. Simply flip the tree upside down and have a friend or loved one set in place.

The stand, or hang if you will, would require you to drill a hole in the base of your tree to which a self latching pin would be pushed through to ensure the stability of the tree.

Presents could be placed on top of (the old bottom) of the tree and kept out of the way of dogs and nosy children.

Vibration option in hang to shake excess needles to the floor. Thanks to xenzag!
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 06 2006

upside down christmas tree http://www.hammache...m/publish/72376.asp
There are a couple more advantages than you mentioned to doing this. This one stands on the floor and I don't think you can put the presents on top, though. [Zimmy, Dec 06 2006]

(?) it was baked in the 12th century http://www.iarelative.com/xmas/upside.htm
[xandram, Dec 06 2006]

Upsidedown trees http://www.usatoday...ristmas-trees_x.htm
Baked. [bungston, Dec 07 2006]

Upside-down christmans tree http://xo.typepad.c...he_upsidedown_.html
Wooah! There's some mentalist comments on this page. [squeak, Dec 07 2006]

Upside-down tree http://www.savingad...as-tree-photos.html
(scroll down a bit) [hippo, Dec 20 2007]

http://imgur.com/U1KoD Awww. [jutta, Dec 25 2011]

would like it even more it could vibrate and shake pine needles,like dandruff, unto the unsuspecting "up-gazers". A natural +
-- xenzag, Dec 06 2006


Ok, Now it vibrates.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 06 2006


Ahh, I have never owned a cat. Good thought on the down side, any solution?
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 06 2006


+ (a motion sensor barking bulldog ornament?)
-- Zimmy, Dec 06 2006


//One other issue is keeping the tree alive. How do you water it?//

With water.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 06 2006


IV.
-- Zimmy, Dec 06 2006


Who says ya have to water it anyway? Just bolt up the tree around say....December 15thish, that way ya don't need to water.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 06 2006


Set a large reservoir in the corner behind the tree and run a feed tube up the wall to the tree's stumpy end, fashioning a waterproof seal with a zip-lok storage bag and duct tape (Try green or brown duct tape so it's less obvious). By placing the reservoir on the floor you needn't worry about the siphon effect. Now here's the cool scientific part - inside the feed tube you will have placed a length of absorbent rope which will suck up water from the reservoir and wick it up the tube to the tree stump, where you will have laid out the rope in a spiral shape to cover the exposed wood. Cotton cord would work well and I suppose you could use hemp, but do not use nylon rope because it doesn't suck.

While I'm sure the tree won't mind drinking water downwards, just in case it can't, take a large IV bottle (thank you zimmy), fill it with water (or some other tree-nourishing concoction) and insert the needle just under the tree's bark near the bottom tip. Hang the bottle on a festive stand decorated with lights and tinsel so it blends in.

If neither of these work, switch to a fake tree.
-- Canuck, Dec 06 2006


This was baked in a Chinese restaurant I went to years ago. It's still cool.
-- xandram, Dec 06 2006


I'd expect that point of view from you, [xandram]. The six upside-down suspended trees in Courtyard B have been a trademark fixture at Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachussetts, since it opened. They are especially pretty when lit at night during the summertime. Unfortunately, since the Natalie Jeremijenko installation used deciduous trees, they are not very pretty during the winter months, and I've yet to see a photo of them strung in Christmas lights.
-- jurist, Dec 07 2006


I cannot see a problem with stringing lights in an upside-down christmas tree but still getting my head around the watering business - unless you have access from the room above.
-- po, Dec 07 2006


I'm sorry to say that this is baked, baked, baked. Hanging christmas trees upside-down was all the rage in the UK last year. Googling for "upside-down christmas tree" returns 975,000 hits.
-- squeak, Dec 07 2006


[jurist] What a shame they have never strung lights on those upside down trees! The one I saw in the Chinese restaurant was just beautiful. It was decorated in all white, hanging (of course) ornaments, lighted with kind of 'candle' looking lights. Truly, this is baked, but not in most homes.
-- xandram, Dec 07 2006


Good job squeek! I only researched an upside down christmas tree hanger.
-- Chefboyrbored, Dec 07 2006


More room for presents. Awesome.
-- Cuit_au_Four, Dec 09 2006


I like this.

I can't help coming up with a variation, though. Not because this idea isn't good, but just because its fun. I like the idea of a replacement for the tree that is not discarded. I would like to use broccoli.

Broccoli is very green. Broccoli would allow decorations to be pinned on it with toothpicks. The broccoli can be placed on a dinner table, where it's very visible. And finally the broccoli can be ceremonially be eaten on new years eve. Very healthy.
-- jmvw, Dec 09 2006



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