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Perry Richardson

BUYING A CHRISTMAS TREE? 7 top tips on how to get it back home safely

Updated: Dec 8, 2021



Christmas trees form a large part of the festive season, with 85% of UK adults having one in their household each year.


If you’re opting for a real tree this year, The British Tree Grows Association suggests that you should purchase your tree in December, so now is the perfect time to prepare.

With that in mind, car-financing firm Zuto have compiled 7 top tips to help you safely transport your tree home and avoid a £100 fine for an unsecured load:


1. Measure your car and the tree

This sounds simple but it can make or break the transportation effort, so make sure to have a tape measure handy to measure both the length and width of your car and tree. Another key thing to keep in mind is that you also have to fit in the car to drive home! So, ensure that there’s enough room with the tree in the back for you to safely drive home.


2. Fold down the seats

This gives you extra room to fit an even bigger tree and causes less broken branches on the journey home. Without the seats being folded down you have a lot less wiggle room and will likely cause more damage to the tree, and possibly the car, than necessary.

3. Place down some covers if it’s a real tree to avoid the mess

Real trees can make a mess with needles , dust and branches falling off, so putting down some covers in your car can save you from clearing up most of the mess. Heavy duty bin liners do the job perfectly or if not some old sheets or blankets would also work.


4. Make sure the tree is netted

Not only will this make the tree more compact and easier to fit into your car, but it will also protect the foliage from any unnecessary damage. It also makes it much easier to carry to and from your car! So, wherever you buy your tree from, ask them to net it for you or simply net it yourself.


5. Tie it to the roof if it doesn’t fit inside

If you want a tree that doesn’t fit in your car or want to avoid most of the mess altogether, this is the way to go. Consider investing in some roof racks and bungee rope if you go with this option. Be mindful of harsh weather conditions as high winds can make it harder to drive and also damage your tree.


6. Drive carefully!

The most important step – the precarious weather, added weight and possibly impaired vision requires extra care while transporting the Xmas centrepiece home.


7. Choose an artificial pop-up tree

If all of this sounds like too much hassle for you, join the other 85% of people and get yourself an artificial tree! If you find a pop up one you might not even have to put the seats down and you can avoid all the mess that comes with buying a real tree.


Lucy Sherliker, Head of Customer at Zuto, said: “With the difficulties of driving in the winter weather making accidents more common, a Christmas tree in the back of your car could add an extra layer of stress to a journey. These tips will hopefully make getting a Christmas tree home that bit easier before you enjoy the fun of adding the decorations.”

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