Having the outside of your house decorated with Christmas lights is one thing, but stringing lights up in the trees around your house can wrap your home in holiday spirit like you’ve never seen it before. It will take some careful planning and a little more work than your standard decorations, but the illuminating effect it can have on your home will be well worth the time.
The best way to hang Christmas lights on a large outdoor tree is (unsurprisingly), from the bottom up. It’s a simpler process than you might initially think, so long as you plan ahead and keep safety in mind.
In this article we won’t only go over exactly how to hang your own Christmas lights on the outdoor trees, but also some additional unique ideas about how you can get the most out of your Christmas decorations.
A Step-by-Step Process
As previously mentioned, hanging lights on an outdoor tree is easier than you think. The key is in planning first. Careful planning will garner precise results. The last thing you want is a sloppy mess of dangling lights all over your yard.
Necessary Materials
- Ladder
- Tape Measure
- Extension Cords
- Outdoor Christmas Lights
- Fasteners (hooks, or other connector/adhesive)
Preparation
To make the process as easy as possible, you’ll want to measure the circumference and height of your tree’s trunk, while accounting for your desired light spacing. You’ll also want to measure the length of any branches or limbs you plan on wrapping as well. By no means do you have to wrap every branch of your tree, you’ll just want to plan out your tree’s most visible branches. Select branches evenly, ensuring that you cover an equal amount of your tree’s real estate.
With all of your measurements handy, select how many strands of lights you’ll need and setup your materials. If your project requires a tall ladder, remember that it’s best to have a partner who can help ensure your safety and feed you light strands as you need them.
Hanging the Lights
Just as you would on your indoor Christmas tree, begin at the base of the tree and work your way up. The best lights to use are connectable strands. These light strands have both a male and female end, making the process of linking more than one strand together incredibly easy. It’s nice to use connectable strands because if you’ve missed a few of your measurements and end up needing more lights than you initially thought, you can always just connect another strand.
Most professional Christmas light installers recommend using LED lights. The bright glow of an LED light will give your outdoor space the look you were hoping for, plus, they are incredibly efficient. If you were hoping to get some extended use out of the lights you are hanging, using LED lights is ideal because they will last far longer than traditional bulbs.
Fastening the Light Strands
One of the best and simplest ways to secure lights to a tree for a project like this is going to be with a staple gun. Specifically, a stapler for wire, as it has a cutout that allows wire to pass through the end of the stapler so that when a staple is used, the wire is not cut or damaged. By using a few staples at the beginning and keeping your wraps tight, you’ll be able to avoid the dreaded loose dangling light strand. You can also use hooks and zip ties to secure the strands if you find you need additional ways to secure your lights.
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind as you tackle your outdoor lighting project:
- Safety First: It’s a cliché, but anytime you are up on a ladder you’ll want to ensure your safety before considering the more technical parts of the project. An added tip: Avoid doing the job in windy or rainy conditions; not only is there more risk, but it’s also a hassle to wrangle Christmas lights in the wind.
- Branches: Before you outfit your branches with lights, keep in mind how you are going to feed the connector back to the center of the tree.
- Aesthetic: When planning the project, picture how it’s going to look from the road, house, or other common viewpoint. It’s easy to get caught up in how to hang the lights when you are right underneath the tree. But really, it’s the distanced viewpoint that matters. This will help you better proportion strands and save time.
Christmas Yard Light Ideas
If you’re planning to decorate the landmark tree on your property to really make your home’s Christmas spirit pop, consider what other decorations might add to your home’s holiday curb appeal.
- Professional Christmas Laser Lights: These are a great option to light up your whole house or to give the additional trees in your yard some spirit!
- Cascading Tree Lights: These come in a variety of styles from falling snow, starry showers, to glowing icicles. They can be draped from any tree or eve of your home.
- Timer Lights: These add a whole new level of convenience to your decorations. While you can certainly purchase a simple on-off module from most retailers, it can be really advantageous to install timer lights with a professional light installer. They can streamline your entire decoration layout and allow you to control the whole thing from your smart phone!
What’s the Best Way to Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights?
While it may make for a fun DIY project, hanging your own outdoor lights, especially on tall trees, can be a tedious and troublesome process. Piggybacking off our last tip, the best way to hang any outdoor lights is with a professional light installer. When you outsource those tedious holiday jobs, you can ensure they are going to be done safely and quickly. Another advantage of going with a professional light installer is that they can design a decoration scheme for your trees, house, yard, or any other landmark you so desire.
One of the best professional holiday light installers in the industry is Blitzen Lighting. Their dedication to quality and customer satisfaction shines through in all their happy holiday customers. If you’ve been wanting to outfit your house with the holiday spirit it deserves, don’t hesitate to contact them for a free quote today!