# Christmas Tree - keeping the star from tipping over **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464 "2016-11-02T17:53:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/1 "2016-11-02T17:53:37Z")
I have one of those large lighted stars that goes on top of my Christmas tree. However, I have an artificial tree that’s also short (about 4’ tall - I don’t bother with a large tree as nobody can see the bottom of it; where I put it, the balcony is in the way, and I live on a hill so nobody can look down over the balcony). The star has a clamp on the bottom to attach it to the tree, but pretty much invariably, the star tips over. What is the best way to prevent this (other than “get a smaller star”)? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/2 "2016-11-02T18:43:10Z")
Clamp star to a dowel and tie the dowel to the tree? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/3 "2016-11-02T20:13:28Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/4 "2016-11-02T21:27:24Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Need answer fast? Not really (although I am one of those people that puts up the tree on the day after Thanksgiving…and takes it down on December 26); I asked it now because otherwise I’d probably forget before I need it. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/5 "2016-11-03T00:46:01Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Clamp star to a dowel and tie the dowel to the tree? I use little green twist ties to accomplish this, saved from wherever I get little green twist ties. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/6 "2016-11-03T00:48:54Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I don’t bother with a large tree as nobody can see the bottom of it Can’t YOU see a full-size tree? Do you only put up a tree for other people to enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/7 "2016-11-03T14:48:07Z")
I like the dowel idea. Maybe you could permanently attach the dowel to the base of the star so that it’s all fixed for future years. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/8 "2016-11-03T14:50:11Z")
We suspend our star from the ceiling with a brad and fishing line to keep it straight. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/9 "2016-11-03T15:00:37Z")
Cable tie/wire wrap a 4 foot wooden dowel, or PVC pipe, to the tree’s trunk. Paint the dowel/PVC to match the tree or wrap it with tinsel. Mount the star to the dowel/PVC. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/10 "2016-11-04T16:50:42Z")
Skip the dowel. Use a dark coat hanger. Just cut it (or bend it back and forth a few times to break it) and put the straight piece at the point of the tree. Bend the bottom part around the “trunk” and “branches” to give it some rigidity. Much less noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/11 "2016-11-11T16:46:32Z")
> [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](#): > > I use little green twist ties to accomplish this, saved from wherever I get little green twist ties. You can get whole rolls of green twisties and by now probably all sorts of colors ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/12 "2016-11-11T18:15:09Z")
Attach weights to the bottom of the star to lower the center of gravity? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-tree-keeping-the-star-from-tipping-over/770464/13 "2016-11-11T19:54:24Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > We suspend our star from the ceiling with a brad and fishing line to keep it straight. And Brad never complains about this???