Review: The Christmas Tree Hugger -A genius invention?



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One day last week on my daily browse around the Amazon website, I came across the most clever inventions. Itโ€™s called the Christmas Tree Hugger.ย 

I was immediately intrigued by this product. It claims to solve one of the most common Christmas tree decorating problems around.ย 

And whatโ€™s that problem you may ask? Itโ€™s how to hide the ugly metal pole at the base of your artificial Christmas tree.

Bottom of the Christmas Tree

Shown above, weโ€™re talking about that disproportionately skinny, metal tree trunk covered in a scraggly layer of flimsy, plastic needles.ย 

There are no two ways about it. Itโ€™s ugly to look at and we all try to hide it. Itโ€™s the whole reason why Christmas tree collars and tree skirts were invented.ย 

This is where the Christmas tree hugger enters the arena as a new solution to cover up the base of your tree.ย 

In this review, Iโ€™ll break down what exactly the Christmas Tree Hugger is, how to use it, how much it costs, what I think about the quality, and whether or not I recommend it.

The Christmas Tree Hugger

What Is The Christmas Tree Hugger?

So, what is the Christmas Tree Hugger exactly? Itโ€™s a thick foam wrap that velcros around the base of your Christmas tree.ย 

The outside is printed with a bark pattern to transform your scraggly metal pole into a realistic-looking tree trunk.

Itโ€™s also reversible with a candy cane striped pattern on the other side.

Thatโ€™s it. Thatโ€™s all it is.

Itโ€™s a simple, to-the-point, uncomplicated solution to a problem millions of people want to solve.

At first glance, I thought it was genius. And apparently, lots of other people did too because they were featured on Shark Tank!

I had to buy it and test it out for myself.ย 

So after getting it in my hands and on my tree, this is how I truly feel about this novelty item and whether or not you need it.

The Christmas Tree Hugger Instructions

Review: The Christmas Tree Hugger

Where To Buy & Price

As I mentioned earlier, I found The Christmas Tree Hugger on Amazon. But you can also buy it from their main website thechristmastreehugger.com.ย 

Of course, prices fluctuate, but I purchased this for around $16. The price is slightly higher on their main website but shipping is free.

Also, on their website there is a second bark style (White Birch) featured, however, it was sold out at the time Iโ€™m writing this.

Quality

The main thing that I was worried about with this product was the thickness of the wrap and the print.

Iโ€™m happy to report that The Christmas Tree Hugger is made out of a thick plush foam material. Itโ€™s the same type of foam used for most mouse pads.

Because itโ€™s so thick, it rolls smoothly without any wrinkles or dents.ย  It sits upright on its own without slouching.

Besides the scraggly faux tree needles, the thing that makes the bottom of the Christmas tree looks so bad is that the pole is so skinny, especially in comparison to the width of most trees.ย 

The Christmas Tree Hugger does a great job at padding out that base and making it look more proportional to your tree.ย 

Beyond that, the product wraps around the trunk very easily and velcros in place well.ย 

Bark pattern

Ease of Use

This item couldnโ€™t be easier to use. All you have to do is wrap it around the base of your tree and connect the two ends with velcro.ย  Thatโ€™s it.ย 

If you find that the length of your tree trunk is shorter than the length of the Christmas Tree Hugger, there are two ways to shorten it so it fits perfectly on your tree.

Instructions and illustrations are provided for both methods on the box.

The hardest part about getting the Christmas tree hugger installed was getting all the way down on the floor to reach under the tree.ย 

The product itself is a breeze.

The Christmas Tree Hugger

Look and Style

Another thing that I was worried about with this item was the print. From the photos on Amazon it looked a little bit cheesy.ย 

It looks like some of the camouflage outfits hunters wear.

I assumed it was going to be one of those patterns that donโ€™t look good close, but from far away looks nice.ย 

When I pulled it out of the package I was pleasantly surprised. Hereโ€™s a close-up of how my tree looks with the Christmas tree hugger installed.

The Christmas Tree Hugger Before and After

My Thoughts

7.5 ft Tree Installation

After I installed The Christmas Tree Hugger and stood up to gaze at my tree I realized that I really couldnโ€™t see it very well at all.ย 

From far across the room or from the adjacent kitchen or breakfast nook I can see it.ย  However, if Iโ€™m standing in the living room right in front of the tree, I canโ€™t see it at all.

For reference, my tree is 7.5 ft tall and quite full at the base.ย 

But I know, this is not the case for all trees, especially smaller ones. So I decided to test it on a second tree.ย 

7.5 ft Christmas Tree

4.5 ft Tree Installation

Pictured below is a small 4.5 ft tree that I put in my bedroom every year.

Iโ€™ve had this tree for about 8 years.ย  Itโ€™s sparse and it sheds about 100 needles every day just by looking at it.

4.5 ft Christmas Tree

Because of this, the base of the tree is much more visible.

Hereโ€™s what it looks like with the Christmas Tree Hugger installed.ย ย 

The Christmas Tree Hugger on small tree

While I certainly prefer this look to the metal pole base, there are some issues.

Because the strips of velcro are only about ยฝ inch wide, you canโ€™t adjust the overall circumference of the tree hugger very much.

Here you can see that thereโ€™s a lot of gapping thatโ€™s visible on the tree.

The Christmas Tree Hugger Up Close on Small Tree

Earlier, I talked about how this product helped to make the trunk of my big tree look more proportional to the branches.

Unfortunately, with the smaller tree, itโ€™s a bit of an overcorrection and makes the truck look a bit too wide for the tree.

Moreover, because the tree is so sparse without any trimmings, you can see right through to the metal trunk from every angle.

This makes the faux wood trunk from the Christmas Tree Hugger stick out like a sore thumb.

So, if you plan on using this on a smaller tree you may need to make some minor adjustments like adding additional velcro so you can cinch the tree hugger tighter around the base.

Or, make sure you trim your tree well filling in the gaps with ornaments, garland, sprays, or ribbon.

If you have a Charlie Brown-style tree, or like the sparse look with just a few lights and ornaments, this probably isnโ€™t going to work for you.

Pros & Cons

Pro โ€“ Affordable and priced right

Pro โ€“ High quality

Pro โ€“ Easy to use

Pro โ€“ Looks realistic and upgrades your tree base

Con โ€“ May not be visible on a tree with a full base

Con โ€“ May be too loose on a small tree

Con โ€“ Doesnโ€™t look great on a sparse tree

Conclusion

Overall, Iโ€™d give The Christmas Tree Hugger 4 stars.ย  Itโ€™s not a perfect one size fits all solution, but it is very nice.ย  Moreover, itโ€™s affordable, easy to use, and high quality.

So, if youโ€™re looking for a way to give your tree a more elevated look, add this to your cart.ย  You wonโ€™t regret it.

Hereโ€™s a link to The Christmas Tree Hugger on Amazon.

close up

I hope you found this review helpful.ย  If you did, please share it with a friend and follow Dianne Decor on Pinterest and Instagram.

For more Christmas decorating ideas, check out the posts below.

Donโ€™t forget to join the mailing list before you go.ย  Iโ€™ll send you a copy of my weekly newsletter filled with weekend reads, decorating inspiration, and the latest deals on home decor.

Thanks for reading!
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