The way to put lights on a Christmas tree so they look professional is to start at the top with the plug end hanging down the trunk, work down in a spiral, and weave each strand in and out from the trunk to the branch tips rather than wrapping it round the outside. That puts light deep in the tree as well as on the surface, hides the cable, and uses the 100-LEDs-per-foot rule: a 6ft tree wants 600 to 1,000 LEDs, a 7ft tree 1,000 to 1,500. This guide covers the method step by step, the alternatives, and the mistakes that leave a tree looking stripey.

How many lights does the tree need?

As a rule of thumb, 100 LEDs per foot of height for a full look, 150 per foot for a dense one, and double that for cluster lights because the LEDs are packed closer together. So a 6ft tree takes a 750 or 1,000-LED set, a 7ft tree 1,000 to 1,500, and a 7.5ft or 8ft tree 1,500 to 2,000. Our guide to how many Christmas lights a tree needs has the numbers for every size and the difference between the Premier TreeBrights, ClusterBrights and SupaBrights ranges.

Before you start

• Test the set on the floor, plugged in, and choose the function you want (steady, or one of the multi-action modes) before it goes on the tree; the controller is easier to reach now.
• Put the tree where it will live, with the socket decided, and leave the branches un-fluffed on the side that faces the wall if you are short of lights.
• Fluff the tree first. Lights go on a shaped tree, not a flat one; our artificial tree guide explains tip count and shaping.
• Lights go on before anything else. Garlands, ribbon and baubles come after.

The weave method, step by step

1. Start at the top. Feed the plug end of the lead down the trunk to the base so it is hidden inside the tree, and begin the lit section at the top of the tree.
2. Work in a spiral downwards, one tier of branches at a time, going round the tree.
3. On each branch, weave in and out. Run the strand from the trunk out to the tip of the branch, loop it round the tip, and bring it back towards the trunk before moving to the next branch. Each branch gets a loop out and back.
4. Keep the spacing even. Stand back every tier and look for dark patches; add a loop where the tree looks thin.
5. Finish at the bottom tier and tuck the end of the strand into the branches near the trunk. If you need a second set, join it at the base so both plugs are together.
6. Light the trunk. A third of the magic of a professionally lit tree is light from inside; if the tree still looks flat, add a 200 or 300-LED set wrapped straight up the trunk.

Top-down or bottom-up?

Top-down, if the set has the plug at one end, because the plug then ends up at the base where the socket is. Bottom-up suits sets with the plug in the middle or where you are using several short sets. Either way, the lit section should start where the tree starts, not three feet up.

Wrap, weave or zigzag?

Wrapping the strand round the outside of the tree is fast and looks fine from across the room, but it leaves the inside dark and the cable visible. Weaving in and out along each branch takes about twice as long and is what shop displays do. Zigzagging up and down each vertical “slice” of the tree is a variation of weaving that suits very full trees, because you never have to go round the back. Cluster lights are the exception: they are too dense to weave, so they are draped in vertical runs from top to bottom, which is why a 2,000-LED cluster set covers a 7ft tree.

Which lights for which tree?

For a standard tree, TreeBrights, which are made for weaving with LEDs every 5cm or so on a green cable. For a dense glow with less work, ClusterBrights. Warm white is the colour most people choose for a traditional tree; white reads as icy and modern; the multi-coloured and rainbow sets suit a family tree with mixed decorations. All the Premier sets we stock have a timer, so the tree comes on at the same time every evening.

Common mistakes

• Too few lights. A 400-LED set on a 7ft tree looks sparse whatever you do with it.
• Lights only on the surface. The tree looks flat and the cable shows.
• Stripes. Spirals too far apart, usually from rushing the lower, wider tiers that need more strand per circuit.
• Finishing with the controller at the top. Start with the plug at the base.
• Mixing warm white and white sets. They look like a mistake rather than a design, unless the set is made as a mix.

See it done

The display trees at Sapcote Garden Centre on Hinckley Road, Sapcote, Leicester LE9 4LG are lit by the Christmas team using the weave method, with the Premier ranges running on them so you can compare TreeBrights and ClusterBrights on real trees before you buy. We are two minutes from junction 2 of the M69, open seven days, with free parking and a café. All 240 light sets are online with live stock.

Quick answers

Do you start Christmas tree lights at the top or bottom?

Start at the top with the plug end fed down the trunk, and work down in a spiral weaving each strand in and out along the branches, so the plug finishes at the base by the socket.

How do you put lights on a Christmas tree so you cannot see the wire?

Weave the strand from the trunk out to each branch tip and back rather than wrapping round the outside, use a green-cabled set, and tuck the lead down the trunk.

How many lights for a 6ft Christmas tree?

600 to 1,000 LEDs on standard string lights, or a 1,000 to 1,500-LED cluster set for a dense look.

Should you put lights on before decorations?

Yes. Lights go on first, then garlands or ribbon, then baubles, so nothing has to be threaded through afterwards.

Can you leave Christmas tree lights on overnight?

LED sets run cool, but use the built-in timer so they switch off each night; Premier sets have a timer function built into the controller.

Andrew Porwol

Andrew Porwol is an expert on gardening, plants, garden design, and outdoor furniture. He is the owner of Sapcote Garden Centre, Sharnford Garden Centre, and Garden Centre Shopping. He’s regularly featured in expert publications, like Forbes, MSN, and Better Homes & Gardens.