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How do you wrap a Christmas Tree with lights?

Well that depends on a few things;

How big the tree is: If it’s too big , say 12 feet, you might want to do a simple wrap. If it’s shorter you can try your hand at using a more professional type of wrapping like a branch wrap. In terms of the amount of lights 100 lights for every 1′ is the average amount used for a nicely lit tree. For less dense trees you can use 100 lights for every 1 1/2 feet and if you like lot of lights and you double the amount of lights, just be sure to use proper installation techniques.

How much time you have: Some techniques are faster than others and if it’s you first time you may have to re-do it until it looks right. After you install a string of Christmas Lights take a look and make sure you approve of how it looks. You can dim the lights to make them stand out more. Some people say to squint but i think that gives you wrinkles. Dim or turn off the lights and you should be fine. Make sure that the nicest part of the tree is facing the best viewing angle. Try to hide bulkier connections in the back. 

How much space you have:If your tree and power source are up against a wall you may opt to skip most of the back altogether if it’s not going to be visible why waste the lights. You can use those lights to load up the front. Some wraps might require additional space. If you don’t have the space to circle around the tree try a triangle wrap, which requires less space. If the tree isn’t to hard to transport you could also decorate your Christmas tree in another location and move it. 

What’s in the budget: Certain techniques will require more lights than others. Figure out how many lights you’ll need and how much they will cost before you decide on which Christmas lights to use. Keep in mind that you can always add more lights next year. Branch wrapping will require the most while a tornado wrap can be done with less lights.

Now that you have your tree, know how much time you have, have the space needed and a budget decided on. Lets figure out how you’re gonna wrap your Christmas tree. Please click on part two of this article to see the descriptions on the individual Christmas Tree lighting techniques. 

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By Maria Bargellini, holiday lighting designer for DFW Christmas Lights

Icicle drop lights are fairly new and have been used mostly for large commercial holiday lighting displays – until now. Icicle drop lights are designed to give off the appearance of falling snow by using the LED lights (diodes) in the tube to “drip” down the length of the tube repeated. They look great in trees or over your entryway, breezeway or any type of archway. The tubes come in a variety of lengths and combinations. For example, you can get a 5 tube strand in 10 or 20 inches, a mixed strand of  (3)-20 inch tubes and (2) 40″ tubes, or (5) 40 inch tubes. The best tree displays will use a mixture of these strands. Make sure to use the shorter icicle drop lights if you are using them in an area where there is pedestrian or vehicle traffic. For a striking upgrade you can add colored light to the trunk of the tree like in the video below.

(The icicle lights are toward the end on the next video)

These LED Christmas lights may be more expensive than incandescent mini lights but you don’t need any where near as many mini lights as you would icicle drop lights, you definately wouldn’t use as much energy, and they surely don’t take as much labor to install or take up as much space in your storage room. So in terms of what the two different displays will cost – they should be about equal. Of course it will depend on the type and amount of mini lights you were using, it can in some cases be less or more expensive.

Icicle drop lights are also a great way to add movement to your holiday lighting display without making it look to busy or like the Griswalds, not that there’s anything wrong with the kind of thing, if you’re into it. If  you would like more information or have questions about this product please feel free to write or call us at 214-257-8813.

Icicle Drop Light Pros

You can add up to 10 sets together

Use less Storage space

Use less energy

Less effort to install

Low profile disappears during the day

Not your grandmas Christmas Lights

Icicle Light Cons

More expensive than other lighting options

Only comes in the pure white color

Related Articles    Stars and star burst Christmas decorating tool

DFW Christmas Lights, The Outdoor Lighting Expert, and Lawn Sprinklers Dallas are sites owned and operated by Dallas Curb Appeal Inc.

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By Maria Bargellini of DFW Christmas Lights

So you have a great tree in the front and you want to light it this Christmas but you haven’t a clue as to what it cost or how to do it–No worries. This short article will help you figure out if your tree is a good canidate for lights, different lighting techniques and other details you ‘ll find interesting.

Large Lit Trees

Live Oaks, Red/White Oaks, Cedars, and many more types make for great lighted trees. These trees are usually around 15-20 feet tall and 12-20″ in diameter. They often have a large trunk,  low lying branches and enough electricity available for 60 set of lights.

Trunks: The larger the trunk the more lights will be needed to wrap around them. If the branches of your tree don’t start until 20 feet you will most likely end up with a lit trunk only.

Branches: Trees like Live Oaks have limbs that can extend up to 40 feet. Now you don’t have to go all the way to the ends for a good looking tree — but if you’re not hiring a professional Christmas Light installer do please

Ornamental Trees

These are typically 6-12 feet tall

You can light any tree with the right technique. The most striking trees are large trunked with low lying branches. If the tree has very high limbs it will take many lights to reach them. In most cases people just opt for a trunk wrap.

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Click here for Part I of this article

Power Setup

You don’t need to read your electric bill to know that outdoor Christmas lights can draw a huge amount of power. 100 feet of incandescent C9 bulbs, for instance, draw 3 and half times more power than most televisons! Needless to say, if you plug too many light strings into one plug, you will quickly overload that circuit.

Most homes have a 16 amp plug in the front and back yard; however, that circuit is usually shared with a room in the home, so not all 16 amps are usable. If you are planning a large Christmas light display, it is wise to calculate the number of amps your Christmas lights and decorations draw to make sure it is far less than 16 amps.

Amperage is usually posted on the UL tag at one end of your light string. If it is not, use this formula to determine the amperage of your light strings:

Number of Feet x Number of Watts Per Bulb / 125 Volts = Number of Amps

Using the example above:

100 Feet of C9 Bulbs x 7 Watts per Bulb / 125 Volts = 5.6 Amps.

Assuming other electrical devices are not using this circuit, you could plug additional lights or decorations into your outdoor plug. However, you should check the UL tag for maximum connections (usually 3) before plugging additional lights in end-to-end.

Note: Most Mini Light strings are not rated in watts, but amps, so the math is done for you.

Disclaimer

Please note: This information is just a general guideline to assist you in your project. With any electrical product or situation there is a risk of electrical shock. DFW Christmas Lights and it’s parent company, Dallas Curb Appeal accepts no liability for the content of this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing. Any views or opinions presented in this e-mail are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company-

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