Patent ID: 8286386

Claim:
A combination of a Christmas tree and a Christmas tree stand comprising: a Christmas tree having a trunk; the trunk having a bottom; a shallower ring shaped groove forming at least two spaced apart curved walls in the bottom of the trunk wherein a shallower central portion of the trunk is defined by one of the curved walls of the shallower ring shaped groove; a deeper ring shaped groove forming at least two spaced apart curved walls in the bottom of the trunk wherein a deeper central portion of the trunk is defined by one of the curved walls of the deeper ring shaped groove; a base; the base having an inside surface facing the Christmas tree; a male member extending upwardly from the inside surface of the base; an adapter removably attached to the male member; the adapter including a small hollow tube and a large hollow tube; the small hollow tube having a curved wall; the curved wall of the small hollow tube having an inner surface and an outer surface; at least a portion of the curved wall of the small hollow tube being received in the deeper ring shaped groove formed in the trunk of the Christmas tree; the large hollow tube having a curved wall; at least a portion of the curved wall of the large hollow tube being received in the shallower ring shaped groove formed in the trunk of the Christmas tree; whereby the inner surface of the curved wall of the small hollow tube is adjacent to one of the curved walls of the deeper ring shaped groove and the outer surface of the curved wall of the small hollow tube is adjacent to the other curved wall of the deeper ring shaped groove and the inner surface of the curved wall of the large hollow tube is adjacent to one of the curved walls of the shallower ring shaped groove and the outer surface of the curved wall of the large hollow tube is adjacent to the other curved wall of the shallower shaped groove so that the trunk is captured by the adapter and the Christmas tree is stabilized on the base and the likelihood of the trunk splitting is reduced.