The year of the tree stands

Ok, I have a story. We have had issues with tree stands around here for a few years. I'll start at the beginning. When we first built our house we got a pretty big tree (14ft) and needed a really good stand. I went to Fleet Farm and bought this huge metal stand. It actually looks hand made. It has held up our huge trees for the past 10 years. Well, a couple years ago when Cole & Tracy built their house they wanted a huge tree. We decided that we would go smaller and they could have the ginormous stand of ours. So we bought a different one. It worked great for the past couple years, our tree has gotten shorter (10ft). Well, this year since Andy and Casey built their house they wanted a big tree. Andy got his own metal stand from Fleet Farm that was sposed to hold up to a ten foot tree. That is the one above this story, in a box, in my garage. Yep, it didn't work. So i gave him mine, he tried and tried and nope, it didn't work for him either. Which didn't make any sense cause we had used it for the past 2 Christmases. Well, Tracy gave him the ginormous stand and of course, it worked great. Then Cole & Tracy went and got their tree. They had my stand. They tried and tried but it wouldn't work for them either. Finally after much aggrivation Cole went to town and bought one of those $20 plastic stands, it worked great. Well, then it is time for me. We tried my stand, again. It wouldn't hold the tree????? I don't get it, it worked fine in past years. Then we tried the one in the box in the garage....nope didn't work either. Finally Cole went to town and bought me a $20 plastic stand. Worked Great!! I guess the only expensive metal stand that works is the ginormous one I bought many years ago. I am done with big trees. This year I didn't go along. I stayed home to watch Felicity. I told Cole no more than 8 ft. I had him cut about 6 inches off when he got it here and it is still over 9ft. I am getting too old to be climbing a 10ft step ladder to decorate a tree.

This is where my old stand is still laying. Out on the porch in the snow. Anyone need a stand?

In the end, it is all worth it. I do like my tree.