GREENSBORO, NC -- Gathering around the glowing Christmas tree, the decorations around the room... But before you got it there, you had to bring the tree home from the lot. And that leaves a lot of opportunity for damage to the tree, your car, or the car behind you!
The most common mistake is to put the tree on the car the wrong way. Yes, there really is a wrong way. You want to make sure the trunk is facing the hood....not the trunk. Consumer Reports says it's all about science. Aerodynamically, the trunk front keeps the wind from pushing up the top of the tree which is the most fragile, making your tree wonky. When you put the top of the tree towards the hood, you're also looking at a flight risk on the tree!.
Make sure you get your tree netted before leaving the lot. It makes it more manageable. If it's going on the roof, the trunk should be facing toward the front end. This reduces wind damage to the needles.
Also, place a tarp, plastic sheet, or blanket between the tree and the rack to protect the roof from scratches.
And before you leave the lot, give the tree a good tug to make sure it's secure!