How to Choose Christmas Lights for Your Tree

Christmas tree lights are undoubtedly just as important as Christmas baubles, ribbons, or garlands when it comes to decorating the tree. In the past, people simply lit small candles on their trees – however, this often led to fires. When electrification began in America, the first safe electric lights were introduced. At first, they were relatively expensive, and not everyone could afford them, but over time, electric lights became widely available, and today no one can imagine a fully decorated tree without them.

Be Eco-Friendly!

Today, the most economical and environmentally friendly choice is modern LED lights – you can buy them in almost any large store before Christmas. LED lights use far less electricity compared to lights produced decades ago, meaning they not only look beautiful on any Christmas tree, but they also help ensure you don’t spend half of your holiday budget on the electricity bill.

If you’re still using old, worn-out Christmas lights, consider upgrading to new LED lights. They’re also far less likely to break down compared to traditional lights and don’t require maintenance, such as replacing bulbs.

What Colour to Choose?

Today, the range of Christmas lights is immense. In stores, you can find both traditional multicoloured Christmas lights and those that emit a uniform warm or cool light. What should guide your purchase decision?

The effect you want to create when decorating your Christmas tree! If you dream of a traditionally decorated tree, you’re probably planning to use multicoloured, glass, handmade baubles. Multicoloured Christmas lights will perfectly highlight the array of colours! You can choose a product with a steady light, but twinkling lights will create an even better effect. Multicoloured lights also look great on Christmas trees without baubles, where they are the main decorations.

Uniform Christmas lights, emitting cool, white light, are an excellent choice for Christmas trees in modern, minimalist interiors. Cool light beautifully complements silver and whiteglass baubles, which are sometimes combined with navy blue. For those who have styled their home in a modern or Scandi theme, cool Christmas lights are the best option.

Warm Christmas lights are ideal for richly decorated Christmas trees, especially those in traditional, glamour, or boho styles. Warm light enhances gold and red decorations and creates a cosy, homely atmosphere.

Before you choose your Christmas lights, consider the dominant lighting in your home. A Christmas tree decorated in warm tones with warm light may not blend well with a minimalist living room lit by cool lights.

What Length of Lights Should You Choose?

Most Christmas lights are 5 to 10 metres long. A 10-metre string can evenly cover a 2-metre tall tree. If you’re planning a taller tree, consider buying longer lights or 2–3 shorter sets that can be connected together. Always start hanging your Christmas lights from the top of the tree and spread them evenly across the branches down to the base.

When hanging yourglass baubles, try to place some of them close to the lights. This way, they will beautifully reflect the light, giving your Christmas tree a stunning glow in the evening.

Outdoor Lights

If you plan to hang Christmas lights outdoors, ensure they are designed for exterior use (they should be moisture-resistant). This is primarily a safety issue. Using the right lights will also ensure they last longer and aren’t damaged by the first rain.

Outdoor Christmas lights should create a cohesive look and emit similar light. If you hang a wreath on the door with a beautifulhand-painted bauble, make sure the nearby lighting complements its colours. Avoid mixing warm and cool light.

Christmas Lights as Interior Decoration

Remember, it’s a good idea to have extra Christmas lights to decorate your home’s interior – not just the tree. Just asa bauble stand on the table can serve as a unique decoration, Christmas lights hung on curtain rods or around houseplants will add a festive touch to any room. Christmas lights alone are a great solution for small apartments where there’s no space for a tree. In larger homes, where the Christmas tree is in the living room, Christmas lights can be used to decorate other rooms, such as bedrooms, children’s rooms, or home offices. A singlepersonalised bauble placed on a desk, with Christmas lights hung above, is all you need to feel the festive magic, even while working or studying!