Tree lights

[chercez]

Hello, I'm wondering the best approach to putting the lights on a tree.

I have got a real tree, probably 7ft which is quite bushy. I have one string of lights, I think there are 900ish lights.

What's the best way to put them on the tree so that they are quite even please?

Thanks, sorry if it's a daft question 🎅

I pulled the tree into the centre of the room and went round and round (and round). I’ve seen Facebook posts of videos of people doing an up down method as well. 900 lights is a lot for a 7ft tree, you’ll be going a few times round. I have 750 on my very full 8ft and it’s loads!

Start at the top and work your way down. Lights first, tinsel if you're using then the baubles etc.

I start by wrapping the first 1/3 approx around the 'trunk' top to bottom then wrap the rest of them around and tuck them all in. Gives a lovely glow from the centre.

I’ve tried different things over the years. One year I went round and round but also pushed the lights deep into the branches and out again.
This year, I’ve used less lights, and just stayed on the outside of the branches.
I don’t think either is better; it’s more a matter of what appeals.

I’ve used the up and down method but I didn’t really think it looked any better or was intrinsically easier. I think it’s intended for when you’re using multiple strings of lights. If it’s just one string round and about is fine.

One year I used a string of coloured lights and a string of white lights so I could have my tasteful tree and occasionally indulge my 1980s nostalgia and I worried it would be a nightmare to take off but it really wasn’t. It makes me wonder if American Christmas lights are made from something different to ours and are more tangly or something.

@Andsoforth I think the older style lights are on a double string that is wrapped around itself, <insert some science about circuits> which is why if one bulb went, the whole lot was out until you found the offender. These double strings would get all unravelled and tangled. The new LED lights are on a different kind of wire which means they don’t untangle so much, and also means they don’t die completely if a bulb goes?

@thenewaveragebear1983 that makes sense. I fondly remember my df cursing and grumbling at the Christmas tree searching for the guilty light.