Tips For Securing A Christmas Tree To Your Car

It’s that time of year again! Time for non-truck and SUV owners to wrestle a Christmas tree on their car and make it home without any problems. So to make it easier for you this holiday season (especially if this is your first attempt), here are some tips:

1) Use the right vehicle if possible. It’s best to transport a Christmas tree on top of a vehicle equipped with a roof rack. If you don’t have access to a roof rack, the bed of a pickup truck or a minivan that can fit the tree inside with all doors closed will work.
2) Use quality tie downs. You’ll want to have a strong rope or a nylon ratchet straps to secure the tree to your vehicle.
3) Take care of the tree. Make sure the tree is correctly wrapped in netting before loading it so branches don’t fly everywhere.
4) More importantly, protect your vehicle. Use an old blanket to prevent paint scratches.
5) Point the trunk towards the front of your vehicle.
6) Secure the tree at its bottom, center, AND top. You can never have it be too secure.
7) Drive slowly and easily and take the back roads, if possible. You don’t to see your tree hit the interstate in your rearview mirror due to your poor tie-down method.

So make sure you check and double-check how snug your tree is before you leave the lot no matter how good of a job you think you did. Nobody wants to be THAT guy that takes out someone else’s windshield with their tree.