Forget furry friends, the Christmas tree’s getting a new collar this year! When I first heard the term “Christmas tree collar” I had no idea what we were talking about. I thought that dog tags or buckled belts around the spruce were the nouveau novelty of the noel. But, then the likes of Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn started to feature the trend. At that time I started to better understand it. So, no, the tree collar trend has nothing to do with canines or cats. It’s also certainly not about slimming the waistline of your tree. Last year I succumbed to the trend and now proudly adorn my Christmas tree with a collar instead of a skirt. Since having made the change I’ve noticed a few key differences between the two that I hadn’t before. Let’s discuss Christmas tree collars vs. tree skirts in more detail below!
Christmas Tree Collars Vs. Tree Skirts
The Look
Tied: Christmas Tree Collar
A tree collar might be the way to go if you’re looking for a clean and modern look. There’s no doubt that a collar at the base of your tree is quite tidy and fresh and gives a fuss-free holiday look.
Tied: Christmas Tree Skirt
On the other hand, a tree skirt is such a classic and traditional way to adorn the base of your Christmas tree. Nothing exudes a Hollywood home for the holidays moment like a beautifully splayed Christmas tree skirt.
The Coverage
Winner: Christmas Tree Collar
One of the things that I love most about my Christmas tree collar is the fact that it actually covers the base of my artificial tree. With a tall enough collar the lower branches should rest slighty on the top and cover that unsightly tree base and cords.
Loser: Christmas Tree Skirt
Tree skirts just never seem to hide the ugly on an artifical tree base. Something about that metal stand showing always drives me nuts. All being said, if you go for a real tree, you will probably have a substantial enough base to give the skirt the lift it needs to cover everything.
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The Maintenance
Winner: Christmas Tree Collar
This one has to go to the tree collar. Why? There is virtually no maintenance aside from maybe a light dusting or two. Christmas tree collars are easy to snap together and leave be until it’s time to take down the tree.
Loser: Christmas Tree Skirt
While the tree skirt looks beautiful, there’s no doubt that it comes with a little…baggage. This is especially true if you have pets or children at home. If you go the tree skirt route it’s expected that you will be flatting and readjusting it throughout the season. It’s also worth noting that in my experience I’ve had to wash and/or de-lint my skirt every year before putting it out.
The Storage
Loser: Christmas Tree Collar
One of the downfalls (that I learned after my purchase!) is the fact that tree collars take up a ton of space. Most of them split into two equal pieces but aside from that there isn’t much breakdown. If you go the route of a tree collar you’ll want to think of a fairly large spot to store it when it’s not in use.
Winner: Christmas Tree Skirt
A major benefit of a tree skirt is that it’s fairly easy and compact to store. All you have to do is fold it up and it will fit nicely into a plastic bin or closet.
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The Ease of Watering
Loser: Christmas Tree Collar
I haven’t had a real Christmas tree for a number of years but I know many people that still do. Going the route of a tree collar may make watering your live tree slightly more difficult. At the very least you may need to invest in a long-necked watering can to reach the water basin.
Winner: Christmas Tree Skirt
A tree skirt gives you ample room to reach the water basin of a living tree. Since there’s no “wall” between you and the tree trunk it’s unlikely that watering your tree will be any more difficult than usual.
The Cost
Loser: Christmas Tree Collar
While I was able to find a tree collar for less than $6, some of the more stylish tree collars can be fairly expensive. In general,, it’s expected that you’ll spend anywhere from $50-$250 on a substantial collar.
Winner: Christmas Tree Skirt
There are a plethora of Christmas tree skirt options available at a multitude of prices. You can find a number of skirts at HomeGoods for around $30. That being said, the sky is the limit on this one and you can even spend $750 on skirts like this one.
Which One Takes the Cake?
Personally, I love my tree collar and don’t see myself going back to a skirt anytime soon. That being said, it does come with it’s own cons when compared to a tree skirt. When it comes down to it, you should decorate your space with what you love for the holidays. My only hope is that the above comparison makes your decision-making process a little easier!
Ready to Make the Switch?
Start our tree collar shopping journey with some of our curated product round-ups below!
Christmas Tree Collars Under $50
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