Do you love the idea of a Christmas tree in a basket as much as I do? I’ve always wanted to display my holiday tree nestled inside a sweet woven basket, but didn’t want to spend a fortune on some overpriced wicker creation. This year I discovered a simple trick to get the cozy large basket look using an affordable four-panel woven tree collar flipped upside down!

A large fresh Christmas tree with lights and ornaments sitting in what looks like a wicker basket.

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Brass 12 Candle holder from Target picture above on our mantel.

My Secret: Invert a Woven Tree Collar

I took a standard woven hyacinth tree collar and flipped it over so the widest part was now on top instead of the bottom. Suddenly, my collar transformed into a perfect makeshift basket for holding my Christmas tree! No one would ever suspect it started as an ordinary tree collar or that the bottom of the basket doesn’t exist!

A close up of the tree in the collar turned basket.

Choosing the Right Collar

The key is finding a basket tree collar made in separate panels that connect to fit around the tree stand and the base of your tree. I purchased a tree collar with 4 panels, each about 14 inches tall, made of natural woven hyacinth with great texture and seam details.

Look for a collar with built-in closure hooks on the panel edges, no hot glue required! This allows you to easily link the pieces into a collar, or in my case, an inverted basket. The hooks securely connect the panels while leaving room for a small opening to slide around the base of your tree.

4 panels of a wicker tree collar stacked.

Since my New England home uses fresh-cut Fraser firs, I was careful to measure the height of my tree stand and low branches first. That determined the right height I needed so the collar would support the branches without squishing them. This trick can work for a real tree and an artificial tree, but keep in mind their dimensions may differ.

Tip: Regardless of whether you use this collar in the traditional way or as a faux basket as outlined in this post, these panels are genius for easy storage in your holiday storage space!

Hack Your Single Piece Tree Collar: Cut it to Create a Custom Basket

If you want to use your tree collar that is made of a single piece of fabric rather than separate panels, there’s still a way to modify it into an inverted basket shape! Simply use wire cutters to snip the flexible metal rim at one point, creating an opening. Then carefully use sharp scissors to cut through the woven material as well, basically creating your own custom “panel” seam.

Wrap the now discontinuous wicker tree collar around the tree stand, overlapping the cut ends behind where no one will notice them up against a wall or corner. Conceal the opening creatively with decorations like pine sprigs or flowers. Smooth any frayed fabric edges with super glue or clear packing tape on the underside.

With a little inventive Christmas spirit, any store-bought, single-piece tree collar can be cleverly hacked into your own DIY upside-down basket illusion!

Tip: Before breaking out the wire cutters, first try simply inverting your existing tree collar upside down over the stand. There’s a possibility the stand may neatly fit into the collar’s smaller, formerly the top opening without any cutting required!

The decorated tree siting in the upside down hyacinth collar.

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Creating My Upside Down Tree Basket

Once I had the right tree collar with woven collar panels, I simply:

  1. Connected the panels using the built-in closure hooks, leaving an opening between the last two panels.
  2. Flipped the tree collar over so the wider opening faced upward.
  3. Slide the inverted collar/basket around the base of the tree, orienting the back access gap toward the wall where no one can see it.

Because my fresh Christmas tree has branches very low to the ground, I didn’t need to add anything inside the collar to fill the space. But for trees with more room underneath, you could creatively embellish by tucking in pine sprigs, woodland moss, shredded paper, excelsior or other filler. Make it your own!

Our mantel garland with lights and ornaments and a bow.

How To Make A Woven Tree Collar Look Like A Christmas Tree Basket

Invert a Woven Tree Collar into a Festive Tree Basket in a Few Simple Steps!
Prep Time5 minutes
Active Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Materials

  • 1 piece Paneled woven tree collar

Instructions

  • Stack panels: Begin with 4 separate woven wood panels with built-in closure hooks along the edges. Ensure the right height for tree stand clearance.
    4 woven tree collar panels stacked.
  • Connect panels: Attach 2 panels first, leaving an opening via hooks. Then secure the third and fourth panels to create a full collar shape.
    the hook and eye connecting two panels.
  • Examine tree collar: Take a look at the completed upright tree collar before flipping it.
    the tree collar standing the standard way, small opening on top, large opening on bottom.
  • Invert collar: The next step is to carefully turn the finished collar upside-down so the widest openings now face upward.
    the tree collar turned upside down.
  • With the opening towards the tree, slide the inverted tree collar so it wraps around the tree stand at the bottom of the tree.
    Note: you may close the back two panels of if unseen you can leave the gap.
    the tree collar with the wide opening on top under a fresh Christmas tree that is decorated in white and gold.
Showing the tree in a basket from a distance.

The Perfect Cozy Basket Illusion

I am so thrilled with how my upended woven tree collar convincingly mimics an adorable Christmas tree-in-a-basket look. This wicker basket trick is so easy but impactful nonetheless!

I hope my simple collar inversion inspires you to think “outside the box” when it comes to displaying your holiday evergreens this season. It’s nice to step away from a traditional Christmas tree skirt into something unique. Experiment with creativity and you’ll discover amazing ways to increase Christmas joy using things in unexpected ways!

For more holiday decor inspiration and creative ideas visit:

DIY pottery barn inspired snow covered pinecone garland.

DIY Pottery Barn Inspired Faux Snowed Pinecone Garland: Create a stunning Pottery Barn-inspired Faux Snowed Pinecone Garland for a fraction of the cost with this easy DIY project. The tutorial guides you through the simple steps, using affordable materials like mini pinecone picks, floral wire, and faux snow spray. Enjoy the budget-friendly crafting experience and customize your garland to match your unique style and the perfect finishing touch of winter magic to your home decor without breaking the bank.

A pine Christmas wreath with pinecones and a large bow that is made with a wide green ribbon, beige strip ribbon and a red small ribbon.

How to Make an Over-the-Top DIY Layered Ribbon Wreath Bow: Learn the secrets to crafting magazine-worthy bows for wreaths, Christmas trees, gifts, and more in this detailed post by a seasoned floral designer. With step-by-step instructions and expert tips, the post guides readers through the process of creating an over-the-top DIY layered ribbon wreath bow. From choosing the right ribbons and understanding the difference between wired and non-wired options to tailor bow tails and determining the perfect size for your wreath, the comprehensive guide ensures that readers can make showstopping bows that elevate their decor.

Thanks for visiting the blog today for this, How To Make A Woven Tree Collar Look Like A Christmas Tree Basket post. Visit my post, How to Decorate a Christmas Tree to Look Full: From Sparse to Spectacular and my Christmas Tree Decorating guide for help with making your tree look fuller!I hope you feel inspired to think out of the box this holiday season! Happy holidays!

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2 Comments

  1. thanks for sharing this awesome idea of the tree basket. Looks super cozy! Have you shared the link for candle holder on your mantle??? I would love that.

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