Though it’s at the bottom — literally — of the Christmas-tree decoration hierarchy, the humble tree skirt still has its duties: providing a festive backdrop for the gifts you’re gifting, showing off your good taste in holiday décor, and hiding a decidedly non-designy tree stand. There’s something for everyone when it comes to styles, from the traditional (your plaids, your faux furs) to the theme-y (this stripe-y candy-cane number), and over-the-top (for $1,000, you can get a beaded New York City skyline).
So to find the best tree skirts (and tree collars), we asked Hallmark holiday-movie set decorators, prop stylists, professional organizers, and all-around Christmas enthusiasts who are very opinionated about their decorations to share their top recommendations. The list below includes a tree skirt once used by the Obamas and one that sometimes doubles as a regal cat cape.
Before you shop, here’s some helpful advice for picking out a tree skirt: Generally, a diameter between 48 and 60 inches is the right size for the standard 7.5-foot tree. You should consider sizing down for a tree shorter than five feet, or up for a tree that’s taller than eight feet. “In this case, size matters,” says interior decorator Carrie Carrollo. “There’s definitely some debate on how much a tree skirt should extend from the base of your tree — some argue there shouldn’t be any overhang.” She suggests shopping for a skirt that’s slightly larger than the width of your tree’s longest branches (around six inches should do the trick) for the right “visual balance.” (The diameter details for each recommendation are noted below.)
Best Christmas-tree skirts
This skirt from CB2 — which comes in white and “sapphire blue” — was mentioned four times. (You can get it customized with a name or phrase of up to nine characters for an additional $12 fee.) Carrollo likes its simple radial stitching. “It feels cozy — and dare I say a little glam — without feeling over the top,” she explains. It’s perfect if you’re “dreaming of white Christmas.” Founder of home-organizing firm Prune + Pare Heidi Lee seconds this, suggesting that the skirt would pair well either with a neutral palette (say, if you’re going for a monochrome and muted look) or ornaments that are a little more outrageous. Joanna Douglas, the executive director of branded content at Vox Media, had it on her wishlist for a while before she finally snagged it on sale. She admires its combination of modernity and cheeriness, which complements but doesn’t outshine her kitschy collection of decorations. And Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio owns an earlier version of this tree skirt from a couple of seasons ago, saying the “velvet is a great luxe touch.”
Cara Woodhouse, who runs her own namesake design firm, loves the look of faux-fur skirts — these can give the vibe of a winter wonderland, with the look of just-fallen snow. She pointed to this tree skirt as the “perfect grounding point” for presents to shine and says it looks especially nice beneath a tree decked in crystals and glass ornaments, as she’s done before. (A ruched one from Arhaus is another one of her recommendations for its more realistic — but still faux — fur.)
This fluffier faux-fur skirt is a favorite of both Stefania Orrù, a supervising producer at Eater, and Ann Lightfoot, founder of professional-organizing company Done & Done Home. Orrù was convinced to buy it after reading online reviews — and once it arrived, she found it to be “super-duper-bright white,” which will contrast nicely with the “disco junk food” theme of her tree ornaments. Lightfoot describes it as “wonderfully plush,” adding that it should be accented with “Christmas music play[ing] in the background.”
The tree skirts from Wondershop, Target’s in-house holiday line, are a favorite among the Christmas enthusiasts we talked to. Note that stock can oscillate, though, and what was new one year might not return the next (so don’t dillydally). This year’s designs offer lots in the delight department, like a miniature 16-inch skirt with a peppermint swirl, along with a 48-inch scattering of embroidered snowflakes and a “12 days of Christmas” theme. Liz Peters, a still-life stylist, likes this colorful 48-inch one that’s printed with string lights. The skirt has enough charm but “it’s not going to steal the show” of what you have on your tree. And if your tannenbaum is small-scale, a similar string lights design is available in a 16-inch diameter.
Selina van den Brink, a freelance set decorator who has worked on a number of Hallmark movies told us about Arcadia Home, which has a “similar feel to Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn.” Its pieces are decidedly heirloom-y. According to the brand, its offerings are designed in Brooklyn and handcrafted by artisans across India and Peru. Van den Brink directed us to this ethereal felt tree skirt, bordered with overlapping, hand-cut flower petals. You can get the skirt in 36-, 64-, and 72-inch diameters.
The company was even commissioned to make the tree skirts for the Obamas’ first Christmas in the White House, van den Brink points out. This is one of the actual tree skirts designed for the then–First Family. It’s made from a chocolate-colored hand-felted wool with green stitching along its bottom border.
Set designer Lisa Lee has been eyeing the Dorada from Citizenry for this year’s tree (“Next year, I might go down a different road, mood pending,” she says). The skirt, which is handcrafted by artisans in Mexico, features fringe made from upcycled pieces of cotton. She appreciates that it’s neutral enough for different sensibilities — suitable for those who go all-out on color, as well as people like her mother, who decorate with a combination of handed-down and handmade ornaments. Lee suggests pairing the skirt with playful, colorful ornaments; a felt garland or strings of popcorn (which she’ll make in collaboration with her niece); and a vintage starburst tree topper to play off the skirt’s trimming.
“It feels very Christmas,” is how prop stylist Andrea Greco describes this skirt. It’s handmade in Nepal from felted wool, and she praises the texture especially, as it has a crisp, slightly crinkly, effect. But it does have a hint of playfulness with a pom-pom hem. She recommends using it as part of a “gorgeous natural” look with wood-cut ornaments, matte gold-and-glass balls, and a beaded garland.
Greco also approves of this red-striped skirt that’s trimmed in colorful pom-poms, which is reminiscent of vintage clown costumes (and I mean this in the most complimentary way). “It looks like a candy cane,” she says, adding she would use its stripes as inspiration to cover a tree with peppermint candies and ornaments in red, white, and silver to match. And a big part of its appeal is that it’s washable (fashioned out of linen), unlike many other skirts Greco has seen.
Van den Brink turned us to this one-of-a-kind, handmade, tie-dyed tree skirt. The shibori-style skirt has been shaded with indigo dye on Kona cotton. She found it on Etsy, her go-to source when dressing holiday sets on movies and TV shows, as she says sellers are typically quick to respond to DMs (especially when she’s in need of something custom or expedited shipping).
Zoe Mac of Zoe Mac Design and Jessica Knauf of Jessica Knauf Design both suggested checking out the tree skirts at Furbish. Knauf fancies the “gumdrop-inspired colors,” and the puffed quilting and scalloped edging on the skirts. Mac has frequented the studio for its assortment of vintage rugs and block-printed table linens and likes that the brand’s tree skirts are in the same vein. “When I set the table for Christmas day, it’s almost always with a Furbish tablecloth.” So she was especially excited when the label introduced tree skirts with the same block printing. The “subtle visible imperfections” of the patterns are a “charming reminder” for her that every skirt is “so carefully made by hand” (and one-of-a-kind). The skirt suits the vision Mac has for her tree, which she wants to “feel as joyful, colorful and playful as possible,” with her collection of food-shaped ornaments (an oyster, turnip, baguette, sugared plum, slice of lime, tin of caviar) and “tinsel icicles” she makes from thin pieces of silver Mylar, as “they make the tree shimmer in the most delicious way.” Knauf, meanwhile, also recommends spreading the cheerfulness all through the house by getting the coordinating stockings, too.
While this little skirt is meant for a tabletop tree, Brittany Nims, the former associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media, didn’t realize that when she purchased it for her full-size tree. “It’s a lesson in reading the description,” she says. Still, she makes do with it, tucking it around the base to hide her tree’s feet. It has served her well enough since — with no sequins lost in the years since she’s been using it. (Impressive considering the skirt is just $10.) And after Christmas, her cat occasionally wears the faux-fur-lined skirt as a cape. (I’ve seen a picture of Mia costumed in all her caped glory and can attest that she looks quite regal in it.)
Or you could go for a 48-inch version — minus the faux-fur edge — that Trolio brought for one of her trees this year. One side of the flip sequins is a blingy, cool-toned silver, and the other is more of a rose gold that offers a nice alternative, Trolio says, for people who want a warmer look.
Mac has had her eye on this dotted Schoolhouse skirt for a while for its “really endearing retro” vibe. “It’s folksy and charming [and] feels really fresh,” she says, noting that she hasn’t seen anything else like it. The combination of the green border, blue polka dots, and cream-colored backdrop would “pop” against wood floors, while the size of the skirt — with a diameter of 54 inches — itself works for even the largest of trees. Mac could see it on the bottom of a tree that’s sparsely decorated to let “its greenery show.” Think strands of cranberries and old-fashioned clip-on candles.
MacKenzie-Childs is well known for its playful homewares, and this skirt looks like its cult-favorite checkered tea kettle. It’s definitely on the splurgier side, but it’s sure to get you compliments. Carrollo points out that it speaks to our current checkerboard moment (which hasn’t really waned since the print started showing up everywhere back in 2020). She also thinks it has the right balance of timelessness and kitsch that the design house is famous for. It’s even decked out with tiny gold bells that feel “undeniably festive,” and black-and-white cording on the border. She would style it similarly to how it appears online, with pinecones and red berry stems.
Best Christmas-tree collars
Those who lean nontraditional might consider a tree collar rather than a skirt. Though there are definitely more tree collars on the market now (see this tiny cable-knit one for tabletops, and another made out of hammered metal for a standard, full-size tree), they’re still “a little less common compared to skirts,” according to Hallmark-movie set decorator Samantha Skidmore, adding that it’s ideal for those who prefer a “stark style” or just something cleaner for their space. These generally hew closer to the tree stand, so their diameter measurements tend to be smaller; just make sure you choose one that will fit around the widest point of your tree stand, right where it hits the floor. (They’re also great for those who have naughty pets or curious kids, as they can’t really be pulled out or rumpled.) This one from Christmas-decorations-maker Balsam Hill is handwoven from cattail plants with two detachable parts designed to make it easy to set up. You can choose between 28- and 33-inch diameters, depending on the size of your tree.
Interior designer Betsy Burnham is a big fan of using rattan for its natural, neutral look. “It can go in many different directions, from classic to mid-century to beachy,” she says. She mentioned this collar from Ikea’s Vinterfint collection of wintertime wares (inspired by the Swedish countryside). She would go all-in with folk-art ornaments in primary colors, which are handcrafted from painted wood or covered in felt. Add “a simple star on top. And jingle bells!”
This collar comes recommended by Prune + Pare’s Lee as well as Annie Trombatore, chief people officer at Vox Media. “It does a great job at camouflaging the base of the tree,” Lee explains. The texture material — which is woven from abaca — complements both real and artificial trees for a more rustic feel, she adds. Trombatore praises its functionality in particular. The collar is wide enough that she can just lower her tree down into it. “It has enough clearance from the stand that you can set up the tree and water the tree, and it’s a nice height so it covers the tree trunk,” she says. It recedes into the background, letting “the tree do the talking.” After having the collar for a few years, Trombatore says, “It still looks new,” and is sturdy enough “to stand up to a toddler yanking on it.” There’s also a 34-inch version available.
Knauf suggested this collar, which is wrapped in whimsical lights (830 little twinklers) that remind her of the children’s tent in Nancy Meyers’s The Holiday; all you have to do is plug it in. It’s the only light-up option on the list — I like it so much I’m thinking of buying it myself — for those who are going for all-out shimmer and glimmer.
Peters shared a rather clever solution to baby-proofing her tree, which is full of fragile, irreplaceable ornaments: this white-picket-fence-looking pet gate that keeps grabby fingers at bay while also concealing the tree stand. It worked so well last year that, this year, she plans on using it again and hanging miniature stockings and a garland as trimmings. This one’s geometric pattern can even be threaded with string lights.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
