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The holidays are here again, which means that your living room is due for a much-needed Christmas makeover. The centerpiece, of course, should be a nice tree covered in ornaments, angels, and other knickknacks that your pet will likely knock down. But first, you have to get a tree. But what if the only car you have is a sports car? Can a Christmas tree be transported on one of those?

Can a Christmas tree fit on top of a sports car?

The Ferrari 458 Liberty Walk on the streets on London, England.
The Ferrari 458 Liberty Walk on the streets on London, England. | Martyn Lucy/Getty Images

Yes, it can. However, you’ll just have to be mindful of the tree’s overall size. Don’t expect to be able to throw a 10-foot Douglas fir tree on top of a Porsche 911 and call it a day. However, if you can measure the height of the tree relative to the size of your sports car, it could fit. Keep in mind that you may end up with a smaller tree than you originally wanted.

How to transport a Christmas tree on a sports car

Transporting a Christmas tree on top of a sports car is not unlike transporting one on any other. However, you may need to be a little creative depending on the sports car you own. In order to prevent any Tannenbaum terrors, you’ll need to strap the tree down to the car’s roof securely.

Before doing so, AAA recommends having the tree wrapped by the tree lot workers. Doing so will make the tree less unwieldy to transport. Next, you’ll want to place a blanket on the roof of the car in order to prevent any scratches.

Place the tree on the car’s roof with the trunk facing the front of the car. After that, tie the tree down using a strong rope or nylon ratchet straps to the car’s roof rack, if it has one. If not, you can roll the car’s windows down and route the straps or rope through the car’s cabin to tie it down. Remember to secure the tree trunk to prevent any side-to-side movement.

Once the tree is tied down, do the “tug test” by tugging on all of the ropes and the tree itself to ensure that it’s securely strapped to the roof of the car. When you’re ready to make your way home, take the back roads and drive slowly, if possible. Avoid taking the highway or getting up to high speeds in order to prevent the tree from possibly coming undone.

Can you transport a Christmas tree on a soft-top convertible?

A woman in a convertible car transports a Christmas tree.
A woman in a convertible car transports a Christmas tree. | Thomas Warnack / dpa / AFP) / Germany OUT

Technically, yes. If you don’t mind the possibility of the tree damaging the soft top. However, we would recommend it. The soft top frame may not be rated to carry the heavy weight of a tree, so there’s a possibility of damaging the frame itself, which could mean costly repairs.

If you must transport a tree with a convertible car, we recommend buying a tree that’s small enough to fit in the passenger seat. That way, you can fold the top down and have a Christmas tree as your passenger. Just don’t try to take the carpool lane with it.

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Joe Santos

Joe Santos has been an automotive journalist since 2013 and joined MotorBiscuit in 2020. He writes strongly on consumer advice and new cars, and we consider him an asset to readers looking for guidance in buying and selling autos.

Joe earned a Bachelor’s in Journalism from California State University, Fullerton, and spent years as a Road Test Editor at Kelley Blue Book, after which he served in various automotive-related roles, including an autonomous vehicle trainer for GM, a vehicle sales manager, and an Audi brand specialist.

Joe’s prized possession is a 2008 Honda S2000 in Laguna Blue Pearl, with which he attends local car meets. Joe is also a content creator for LTD Global, a B2B support firm.