A Complete Guide to Putting Lights on a Christmas Tree

It's finally that time of year again! It's time to start spreading the festive cheer and what better way to kick things off than by putting up your Christmas tree? One of the biggest tasks when decorating a tree is putting lights on it, without it becoming a tangled mess. Well fear not! We’ve got a complete guide on how to do it this year, so you can wrap yourself up in cosy blankets instead of getting wrapped up in a bunch of string lights!

Putting Lights on a Christmas Tree

It might seem like an easy task until you get the tree in front of you. Well, we’re here to walk you through how to put Christmas lights on a tree to help you do it like a professional.

The Materials You’ll Need

Your Christmas tree of choice
The right number of Christmas tree lights (our suggestions are below)
An extension lead
A step stool or ladder (depending on the height of your tree)

How Many Lights You’ll Need for Different Sized Christmas Trees

The number of lights you will need will depend on the size of your tree. As a starting point, check the height of your tree. Then determine how bright you want it. On average, we suggest roughly 100 mini light bulbs per foot of tree. You can always add more if you decide you want it brighter!

How many lights for a 5ft Christmas Tree?

For a 5ft Christmas tree, you’ll need 500 to get it adequately lit.

How many lights for a 6ft Christmas Tree?

On a 6ft Christmas tree, use 600 or so to make it bright and dazzling.

How many lights for a 7ft Christmas Tree?

If you have a 7ft tree, you’ll need 700 so it sparkles in your home.

How many lights for an 8ft Christmas Tree?

With an 8ft Christmas tree, you’ll need 800 to brighten it up.

How to Wrap Lights on a Christmas Tree

There are multiple ways for putting lights on a Christmas tree, but the way you wrap them around the branches stays the same. As you work your way around your current section, weave them throughout the branches. Move from the base of the stem at the trunk out towards the tip of the stem. That will bring more depth to your Christmas tree lighting.

Unique and Different Ways to Light Your Christmas Tree

There’s plenty of opportunities to bring personality into your Christmas decor! Use these different ways of putting lights on a Christmas tree to help yours stand out from the crowd.

Use Different Kinds of Lighting

Depending on your Christmas decorating style, you may want to choose different kinds of lighting. Here are the most popular ones:

Mini Lights

The mini Christmas tree lights are the most popular for indoor trees. They come in plenty of options (even ones on this list), like LED, multi-coloured, and twinkling. These are easy to manage as you string them on your tree, as well.

Large Bulb Lights

Large Christmas bulb lights are great to create more drama and impact. These are great for large trees and outdoor Christmas lighting.

LED Lights

LED lights come in large bulbs and mini Christmas lights. They’re excellent for your indoor tree. And they’ll help you save money on your power bill, as they’re energy-saving. Not to mention, they tend to last much longer than normal bulbs, while putting off even brighter light!

Fairy Lights

Fairy lights give a beautiful, ethereal look to any Christmas tree or decor. Since these are so small (even smaller than the mini lights!) and come on a thin, flexible wire, we recommend using them on small Christmas trees.

Twinkling Lights

These are perfect for adding liveliness to your Christmas decor. Twinkling lights can usually be found in mini lights, large bulbs, LED lights, and sometimes even fairy lights. They’re an excellent choice for Christmas light displays, whether they’re outside or inside.

Multi-Coloured Lights

If you’re not ready to choose just one single colour, opt for multi-coloured ones instead. You can find them in mini lights, large bulbs, and twinkling lights. These will give your tree an even more festive air!

Different Ways to Hang Lights on a Christmas Tree

There are quite a few different ways of putting lights on your tree. The way you hang them on your tree can be a part of your decor!

How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree Horizontally

Putting lights on a tree horizontally is the classic way to hang lights. If you’re planning to do it this way this year, here’s your guide:

Divide the tree into three triangular sections around the trunk of the tree. You’ll have an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section.
Starting at the top or bottom of the tree (this is up to you!), wrap your lights around the section. Be sure to move them over and under the branches.
Weave them deeper into the tree, as we mentioned earlier in this guide!

How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree Vertically

In the last several years, putting lights on a tree vertically has become a popular trend. So if you’re looking to do this with your tree this year, here’s how:

Starting at the top of the tree, lay your lights vertically.
Wrap lights around the branches as you go.
Once you’ve reached the bottom of your tree, wrap your lights the other way in an “S” shape and work your way back up.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 until your entire tree is lit up.

How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree Diagonally

To add more excitement to your tree, you can also hang lights diagonally. Here’s how to do it:

Start at the top of the tree and lay your lights vertically. Instead of allowing them to hang straight down, push them diagonally down the tree.
Wrap the lights around the branches as you work your way down the tree.
Once you’ve reached the bottom, turn your lights the other way in an “S” shape and work your way diagonally back up the tree.
Repeat steps 1 through 3 until your entire tree is lit.

Tips and Tricks to Remember When Putting Lights on a Christmas Tree

When you get started putting lights on a Christmas tree, remember these tips and tricks:

Always check your lights, first. Plug every strand into an outlet to make sure everything is working.
If you’re looking for how to extend your tree lights, you can forgo weaving them from the base of each branch to the tip of it. Instead, keep the majority towards the tip of the branches.
Tuck your extension plugs deeper into the tree so they’re not visible.
Double-check to make sure your cords aren’t overlapping each other on your tree. This will make your Christmas lights look messy and much less natural.

Putting lights on a tree doesn’t have to be a super difficult task! Just follow these simple steps, and you can have yours lit in no time.