The task of hanging lights on your tree is no joke, so unless you have a staff of elves at your disposal, you’re probably on your own to come up with a simple method. Oh, the benefits of completing this tiresome task—despite the headaches! Your breath may literally be taken away by that brilliance.
Most likely, you have been decorating your tree with lights in the same manner as your parents. However, there are a few other ways to light a Christmas tree, believe it or not. Questions abound both offline and online. Do you hang the lights on your Christmas tree vertically or horizontally? Do you move from top to bottom or vice versa? Does a Christmas tree have its lights on first? (For the record, we firmly agree with this.)
We’ve got some good news before you start second-guessing (or altering) your stringing technique: There isn’t really a right or wrong way to light your tree. Keep using the way you’ve chosen to decorate your tree if it works for you—no there’s need to switch!
Even so, there’s no harm in giving anything new a shot, which is one of the reasons we’re sharing these tried-and-true Christmas lighting techniques. The future? Perhaps you’ll discover a more effective approach to the yearly work. Get glowing now!
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Remember to budget for 100 Christmas lights per foot, or 600 lights for a 6-foot tree.
How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree Vertically
- To check that each set of lights has functioning bulbs, plug each strand in.
- Let your lights sit vertically like a seam, starting with the plugless end at the top or bottom of the tree.
- Turn the lights back the opposite way every time you reach the top or bottom until the entire tree is covered by a sideways “S” pattern.
Hang glistening ornaments in the center to reflect light and provide depth.
How to Hang Christmas Tree Lights Horizontally
When it comes to tree decoration, hanging Christmas lights horizontally is the most common method. Although it’s rather self-explanatory, you should adhere to these instructions if this is your first time hanging lights:
- Each pair of lights should be plugged in to ensure that all of the bulbs are operational. (You’ll avoid a lot of stress later if you do this.)
- Wrap the lights around and under the tree’s branches, starting at either the top or the bottom of the tree, depending entirely on choice.
- By varying the patterns and inserting certain lights “deeper” into the tree than others, you may add some variety and make the arrangement appear more natural. Use your imagination and have fun with it!
Tip: Use floral wire to secure the region to a branch when you need to connect plugs to cover the unsightly obstruction.
How to Hang Christmas Lights Top to Bottom
According to Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design at The Home Depot, “I string my lights from top to bottom because your plug is at the end of the strand and closer to the bottom of the tree and outlet.” Additionally, she claims, it’s simpler to distribute lights this way if you run out, and it’s simpler to put extra lights to the bottom of the tree as opposed to the top.
- To make sure all the bulbs are in functioning order, plug in the lights.
- Start at the top of the tree and weave the lights through the limbs and under them.
- Lights should also be strung in the tree’s back as you work your way down and around it.
- Any additional lights should be tucked behind the tree when you get to the bottom.
- Simply do another pass, beginning at the top and moving downward if you wish to add more lights.
For the best overall effect, make sure to wrap the lights loosely around each branch.
How to Hang Christmas Lights Bottom to Top
Kelie Charles, Senior Merchandising Director at The Home Depot, works her way up from the bottom so she may plug the lights in first. As I’m stringing the lights, it’s simpler to visualize how the tree will appear lit, she claims. A few extras? Just wind them down once again. Additionally, you can simply start a fresh string and run an extension cord down the tree’s trunk if you run out.
- Instead of going around the tree, start at the bottom and zigzag Christmas tree lights through the tree in quadrants.
- To add depth, tuck some lights further into the branches and place others closer to the front.
- Push the connectors for the lights firmly into the tree branches close to the trunk.
- Once you get to the top, you may either run an extension wire down the back of the tree to the outlet or tuck the extra lights into the trunk.
Avoid any visible spirals or patterns; you want the lighting to appear natural.
Do you thread lights from the top or bottom of a Christmas tree?
1) It is advisable to avoid wrapping the lights around a live tree because the branches may not be as uniform. Instead, arrange them in a triangle pattern so that they wrap around the tree. Working your way down the tree from the top, connect the first set of string lights using an extension cord.
2) Position the lights 3-5 inches away from the tips of the branches, weaving them back and forth across the triangle. Place some lights a little closer to the tip of the tree and others deeper in for a more natural appearance. A messier appearance will result from overlapping cords, so watch out for that.
3) To prevent the appearance of a light gap when adding more strings of lights, make careful to tuck the plug and unlit portion of the string into the tree’s center. Continue in this manner until you reach the bottom.
*You can hold the light in place by tying it to the branch with wire if it isn’t hanging from the branches the way you’d like it to.
1) An artificial Christmas tree can be decorated in a manner that is largely comparable to that of a real tree. Because of the regularity of the fake tree, it is typically a little easier.
2) We advise utilizing the same top-to-bottom method as with a real tree, but instead you should wrap lights around the branches to fasten them to the tree if you want to retain the lights on your artificial tree for the years to come (an easy choice). If you are using huge bulb or icicle lights, this is not advised as it works best with mini string lights.
Editorial assistant Lucia Tonelli
At Town & Country, Assistant Editor Lucia Tonelli contributes articles about the royal family, culture, real estate, design, and other topics.
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How do you cover a tree with Christmas lights?
We won’t begin at the top of the list right now. Friends, we begin at the bottom. No, no.
The bottom layer of branches should be applied first. Then, encircle each branch that goes up and down with lights.
Apply the second layer of branches after that, and add the lights using the same method as for the first layer.
Naturally, my last set of lights was dead, and at 8:00 p.m., I didn’t feel like racing to the store. Naturally, I’ll complete the tree’s lighting tomorrow.
But, my dear friends, that is how I decorate my Christmas tree with lights. No more Christmas trees with light lassos. The entire tree shines, and the light strings aren’t barely perceptible as they were with the lasso technique.
How are indoor string lights hung?
Indoor String Light Hanging Use of a hammer and nails is a safe choice that works for the majority of walls. Leave the nail partially exposed on the wall and cover it with the string lights. A thumbtack should be sufficient to support the weight of fairy lights while hanging them.
When stringing lights, should you start at the top or bottom?
Although the usual orientation is horizontal, even slight shift in orientation has a significant impact on the presentation. Hang Christmas tree lights vertically rather than around the tree from top to bottom.
Divide the tree into three triangular pieces in your mind. Start the string of lights at the base of the tree, drag it to the top, then pull it back down like a mountain to hang the lights. You should keep climbing and descending the tree. To make room for decorations when you’ve finished wrapping the tree, tuck the strands farther within on the limbs.