The Right Way to Wrap Lights Around a Christmas Tree, According to Experts

Adding lights to your Christmas tree is a beautiful way to bring your evergreen to life, whether you're a fan of multicolored or all-white. But without the proper technique, your tree can go from elevated to busy. To help you execute this seasonal task like a professional, we asked experts to share their tips for how to string lights on a Christmas tree the right way. 

Before Getting Started

Keep these safety tips in mind when stringing lights around your Christmas tree.

Make Sure Your Power Source Is Safe

Connecting multiple strands of Christmas lights can be dangerous if the circuits are shorted or overloaded. Mitigate this risk by using a ground fault circuit interrupter, which shuts off electric power in the event of a ground fault. "Safety is our priority and this adds a layer of protection," says Derek Miller, senior technician at Longwood Gardens.

Track How Many Strands Connect to Each Other

You should also keep track of how many strings of lights are connected. "Our rule of thumb is no more than 20 of our 5-millimeter bulb strands can be plugged in back to back," Miller says. That said, most 8- and 9-foot-tall trees require only six to eight 50-bulb strands. 

How to String Lights on a Christmas Tree

There is one overarching goal when stringing lights on a Christmas tree—making the lights visible, but not the wires. This can be accomplished with the proper technique.

Start From the Bottom

Achieving a polished look depends on making the plugs and connections as invisible as possible. "Hiding the end of a cord at the top of a tree is not as easy and can be an eyesore," says Miller. His team starts by wrapping the first strand of lights (which will be plugged into your main power source) around the base of the tree trunk, continuing until the lights reach the highest branches. 

Wrap the Lights Around the Branches

Wrapping the trunk takes about half of a 50-bulb strand. "Once we get to the top, we work our way from branch to branch, wrapping the branches, sometimes splitting the wires and pulling small branches through the wires to disguise them," says Miller. To wrap a branch, start near the trunk, moving towards the outside of the tree; move to the next branch, wrapping back in towards the trunk. By wrapping each branch with lights you can hide the wires and create a richer look. Continue wrapping the branches until you reach the bottom of the tree, plugging in extra strands of lights as needed.

Review Your Work

After lighting your tree, take a step back to review your work and adjust as needed. "We like to use what we call the 'squint test,' which is when we look at the entire tree, squint, and you should see a uniformly lit tree," he says. During the squint test, you shouldn't see any dark spots or any overly bright areas. Take a step back and see where you might need to adjust single lights or even add an extra strand. 

How to Customize a Pre-Lit Tree

If you're working with a pre-lit Christmas tree, most of the work is done for you—but layering on additional strands gives your tree more depth and personality. Do so by adding tiny LED fairy lights near the tree, or even colored floor spotlights. "Here you have a majestic tree and behind it you have this dramatic lighting effect," says Francis Toumbakaris, founder of New York City-based interior design company Francis Interiors. "It creates shadows, it adds a pop of color in the home, and it's just spectacular and very theatrical."

How to Light an Outdoor Christmas Tree

While the technique for lighting a decorative evergreen is the same for indoor and outdoor trees, outdoor trees require UL-rated lights for exterior use. Also, pay careful attention to safety procedures when decorating an outdoor tree. "When having lit trees outside, we are always plugged into a GFCI—having a tree connected to a source with that kind of protection is always a must," says Miller.

If any connections are left empty, put a plastic tab in the connection to protect you and your loved ones from getting electrocuted. Open connections also allow for the entrance of moisture. "We know water and electricity do not mix. Therefore, we make sure there is no way of it getting into the circuit and also tripping the breaker," says Miller.