How to Hang Christmas Lights on Your Tree Like a Pro (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my Christmas tree lights look like a pro? ›

Start at the bottom, zig zag Christmas tree lights through the tree in quadrants, section by section, versus around the tree. Place some lights deeper into the branches and place some closer to the front to create depth. Hide the lights' connectors by pushing it deep into the tree branches near the trunk.

Begin at the bottom of the tree close to the trunk. Allowing some slack or leader cord in the first strand of lights, separate the cord near the first bulb, so it forms a loop. Slip the loop over one of the branchlets or greens near the trunk, and wrap the cord a few times around the green to secure it.

Place each light bulb on the strand inside a clip. Hold each section of lights taut between the clip points. Even if you are using mini lights instead of C7 or C9 lights and have already installed the clips indoors, you still may need to attach additional clips when hanging lights around exterior corners.

Avoid securing your Christmas lights with nails and staples because they increase the likelihood of ruining them. Determine what tools and hooks you need to hang the Christmas lights. Use clips that clamp onto gutters and bricks or slide under roof shingles to hold bulbs in place.

If you're opting to cover up the Christmas tree stand with fabric, then the first thing that goes on the tree is the lights - make sure to work from the base upwards. Then add your biggest baubles, followed by your medium sized and then smallest last. Finish with a tree topper and voila!

We recommend as a guide you use approx 30 lights per foot in height of your Christmas Tree. For example, a 4ft. Christmas tree should have 120 Christmas tree lights, 5ft. tree 150 lights, 6ft tree 180 lights and a 7ft tree 210 lights.

How many strands do I need? A general rule is to use 100 lights for every 1.5 feet of tree. However, if you love lights, you may want to double or even triple that amount.

Getting a live Christmas tree with the root ball attached is by far the most eco-friendly Christmas tree. If you can't get a tree with an attached root ball, getting a live Christmas tree is more eco-friendly than getting an artificial Christmas tree.

A coordinated color scheme, large topper and oversized ornaments are the secrets to designer Christmas trees. Try using ornaments and ribbons in shades of gold, silver and white or a combination of copper, tan and silver to add style and sophistication when decorating Christmas trees.

How do you blur the background of Christmas lights? ›

A wide aperture, or smaller f-number, will blur out that background even more. If you set your camera to one of the widest apertures like f/1.8 will really blur out that background for a great bokeh effect. Set your camera to Aperture Priority mode and choose a low f-number, then you are ready to take the shot.

Start from the Bottom Up “Always,” Tur says, “because you have your outlet at the bottom, so you don't have to run extension cords from the top.” Wind the Lights Around Your Tree Horizontally Gradually begin wrapping the lights around your tree, working your way up.

Don't assume all lights are designed for outdoor use; wrap all connections between strings with electrical tape to keep moisture out. Always plug lights into a covered outlet protected with a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)—running cords from inside the house through a window or a mail slot is a fire hazard.

It's OK to keep the lights on all night, as long as you're not disturbing any neighbors. But to save power, consider putting your lights on a timer. Blow-up decorations are always fun for kids, but be careful where you place them in your yard.

Before you start hanging your Christmas ornaments, we recommend that you hang the lights and garland first. Leave the lights on when you start hanging your ornaments so you can see how things will look when lit.

How Many Lights Do I Need For A 7ft Tree? We recommend 15 metres of lights for a 6ft Christmas tree, but if you have space for a larger tree, for every extra foot of height simply add another 5 metres of lights. So for a 7ft tree, we would suggest using 20 metres of lights.

For a basic look our number one rule is at least 100 bulbs per 1ft of tree – so that would mean a 6ft tree needs a minimum of 600 LEDs. For a fuller look, you can add as many lights as you want but we recommend upwards of 700 for a 6ft tree.

To give your Christmas tree a professional look, string them a little randomly, to give your lights a more organic, natural feel. As you work, place some lights deeper into the branches and place some closer to the front to create depth.

LED mini lights with 6" bulb spacing are popular for wrapping trunks and branches. To calculate the total string length you'll need: divide the tree height by the spacing you want between wraps and multiply the total by circumference.

How long should a string of lights be on a Christmas tree? ›

Trees: One 32-foot strand (100 lights) for every 1 1/2 vertical feet of an evergreen tree; or, about 500 to 600 lights for an 8-foot tree. Windows: One 16-foot strand per single-width window.

Don't overcrowd your Christmas tree with too many lights. It is not good for the tree and doesn't improve the look. Sometimes – fewer can be much better.

How many lights do I need? For the best coverage on your unlit Christmas tree, about 100 bulbs are recommended for every two feet of tree. If you have a 6 foot artificial Christmas tree, you'll need a string of 300 LEDs to light up your tree perfectly.

Avoid Blocking Entryways or Closets

Avoid placing your holiday centerpiece in areas where they could be blocking entryways or closets. Not only will you have a hard time moving around, but you'll probably end up knocking down ornaments and accents, or even the trees themselves.

Real or Fake: Which Christmas tree is better for the environment? Short answer–real! Real trees help fight climate change, and even though your Christmas tree is cut down, you're actually supporting forests.

Well, researchers have found that real Christmas trees have a smaller carbon footprint, and are therefore better for the environment than fake ones.

Plug in the lights to make sure all the bulbs are working. Starting at the top of the tree, intertwine the lights on top of and under branches. Work your way down and around the tree, hanging lights in the back as well. When you reach the bottom, hide any extra lights behind the tree.

Add Pinecones and Ribbons

Large decorations like pinecones and velvet ribbons are ideal for dressing artificial trees. Place these decorations strategically to cover bald spots and make the tree look lush.

Use an extra string of artificial pine garland and wrap it around your tree — it'll blend seamlessly into the branches and conceal any bare spots that make your festive tree look lackluster. This blogger bought a $20 fake tree, then added pine picks from the Dollar Store to fill in the holes.

Place your subject at least three inches in front of your backdrop, possibly more depending on if the backdrop is dark, and keep your main light at a higher angle. Evenly illuminate the backdrop by ensuring that the light is at least three stops higher than the light pointed at your subject.

How do I get a crisp white background? ›

To create a solid white background, you need to completely overexpose your background without overexposing your subject. That means you'll need much more light on your background than on your foreground subject; about 16 times more light (or four stops of light).

Work with the Lights Off

But did you know that it's actually easier to decorate your tree with the lights off? You'll be able to see 'holes' much more clearly as you decorate because the lights reflecting off the ornaments as you hang them make it harder to see.

Fill in gaps with picks

Using Christmas tree picks and sprays is a creative way to fill in the sparse areas of your tree. Also, they bring a different kind of texture to the whole look. If you want a more natural feel for your display, choose picks like berries, flowers, or pinecones.

Fill gaps between your tree's branches with floral fillers, such as silk flower sprays, leaf bunches, or a DIY nosegay, as shown here. We used a base of artificial leaves, silver berries, and green ornaments, then wired and tied it with sheer ribbon. Plan to make at least 24 of these fillers for an 8-foot tree.