How To Decorate A Christmas Tree: Lights, Garland, And Ornaments
Work In This Order
Tree, lights, garland, ornaments, topper. Every step is easier if the one before it is done first, and the most common reason a tree looks unfinished is that the lights went on after the ornaments. Here's each step, with the numbers you need.
1. Pick A Tree That Can Carry The Weight
A real tree needs branches stiff enough to hold lights and ornaments without sagging: Fraser fir, Noble fir, and Scotch pine are the dependable choices. Look for a tree with space between the branch layers if you have a lot of ornaments; a very dense tree hides everything you hang on it. Cut a fresh inch off the trunk before it goes in the stand and keep the water topped up daily for the first week.
For an artificial tree, the same rule applies to branch tips: more tips means more places to hang things and more surface for light. Give the tree a day to settle and fluff every branch outward before you start.
2. Lights First, From The Trunk Out
Don't spiral the lights around the outside. Start at the trunk near the bottom, run each string out to the tip of a branch and back to the trunk, then move to the next branch. The tree glows from within instead of wearing a net of lights on its surface, and the wire disappears into the greenery.
How many: plan on about 100 lights per foot of tree height as a starting point, and more if you like a dense look. A 7-foot tree takes roughly 700 lights, or ten 70-light strings. Our Christmas tree light calculator gives an exact count for your tree and spacing.
Which lens style: 5mm wide-angle strings are the brightest per light and the easiest to hide. M5 has a faceted lens with a little more sparkle. C6 is larger and reads as individual points of light. All three come on green wire that vanishes in the branches. Warm white is the classic; a ColorCraft® palette gives you coordinated color without the carnival look of traditional multicolor.
Two practical notes: test every string before it goes on the tree, and plug the first string in at the base so the cord runs straight to the outlet. Connect strings end to end up to the limit printed on the tag. Put the tree on a timer so it comes on at dusk and off at bedtime.
3. Garland Next
Garland goes on after the lights and before the ornaments. Ribbon garland looks best tucked in and out of the branches rather than draped in loops on the surface: start at the top, push a section deep into the tree, pull the next section out and let it billow, and repeat down and around. Beaded and tinsel garland can be draped in swags. Either way, use about 9 feet of garland per foot of tree height and stop when it looks like enough, not when the spool is empty.
4. Ornaments, Largest First
Hang the largest ornaments first, deep in the tree near the trunk, spaced evenly. They fill visual gaps and give the tree depth. Medium ornaments go on the middle of the branches, and the small ones out at the tips where they catch the light. Hang heavier ornaments on the stiffest branches and keep anything breakable above the reach of pets and toddlers. If you're mixing colors, pick two or three and repeat them; if you have a lifetime of sentimental ornaments, let the lights and garland be one color so the ornaments are the variety.
5. Topper And Skirt
Secure the topper to the top branch and to the trunk if it's heavy; a lopsided star is the first thing anyone notices. Tuck the skirt around the stand and route the cord under it to the wall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I put lights or garland on first?
Lights first, always. Garland and ornaments hide the wire, and you can't reach the trunk to wrap once the branches are full.
How many strings can I connect?
The limit is on the tag near the plug. LED strings connect many more sets end to end than incandescent strings did, so a full tree usually runs off one outlet.
Are LED tree lights safe to leave on?
LEDs run cool and draw very little power. Use a timer so they're off overnight, and keep a real tree watered so the needles stay pliable.
Lights Built For The Tree
Shop Christmas tree lights in 5mm, M5, and C6 lens styles, or pick a ColorCraft® palette for color no big box aisle carries. Built to last for many seasons and backed by our Reindeer Proof™ Warranty.
