Every year, around this time, I promise myself I'm going to get a proper Christmas tree stand; one that will last a lifetime and that can (ideally) be folded up and stored year after year. Here are the five best options out there right now:
Above: Folding Stainless Steel Christmas Tree Stand; €192 from Christmas Tree Stand in Hungary.
Above: The Christmas Tree Stand designed by Maria Haard for Design House Stockholm is available in green, red, or white; go to Design House Stockholm for ordering information.
Above: The Skeppshult Tree Stand is $127 from Royal Design.
Above: We love the no-nonsense, American-industrial look of these heavyweight steel Christmas tree stands, handmade in Bear Lake, Michigan, by Floyd Bowling Jr. and Sr. since 1989. The T-bolts make securing the tree easy, and the tripod legs prevent wobbling on uneven floors. One happy customer wrote, "It belongs in the permanent collection at MoMA." Bowling's Last Stand offers three models: The 10XTS Model shown below supports a tree up to 10 feet tall and costs $180; the 12XTS supports trees up to 12 feet tall, and the 16XTC is for behomeths up to 16 feet tall.
Above: The Turboprop Christmas Tree Stand is €118 from Magazin.