A Decorator's Guide On How To Put Lights On A Christmas Tree

By Giselle Taylor

No matter where I am in the world, I always know when Christmas time is near-and it's not only because I've been marking off the days since July. There is a shift in the atmosphere. It's the crisp air, the friendlier people and admittedly, the outrageous christmas sales I've come to know and love so well. Some say it's getting too commercialized-so? It's your personal response to it that matters anyway. Time to start with the merrymaking and where else should we begin but right in our own homes.

Probably one of the first things in your to-do list this season is to put up a christmas tree in your home. It is a timeless practice most families still keep regardless the circumstances they may find themselves in. One can never have enough tips and ideas on doing this the best way. Between the fathers who want it done their way and the sometimes paranoid mothers, here is the standard guide on how to put lights on a christmas tree for everyone to follow.

Before anything else, you will need to get the perfect tree. If you have an artificial tree stored up in the basement, you can use that for the holidays. If you want to get that cozy and intimate setting that comes with an aromatic and lush fir, visit a christmas tree store to purchase one that you like best. Make it an event in itself by letting the whole family in on the selection process

Clear a space for the tree. Usually, families opt for the living room where visitors are received often as the spot to set the tree in. When you put up the christmas tree, place it near enough a wall, but with enough room around the tree that you can walk around it as you hang up decorations.

Do you have a motif for your decorations this year? Whatever look you are going for, ensure that the lights you have on the tree will complement it. Choose among the many shapes, sizes and hues available in the market today.

If you have lights from holidays past you want to use, take them out of storage and inspect them first before hanging them up. Busted bulbs you can replace but exposed light you must never use. Measure your tree; you should have 100 bulbs for every foot of tree you decorate.

Put up the lights starting from the bottom upwards. Wind them around the trunk and each of the branches per tier until you reach the top. Drape them as prettily as you can, making sure you leave space for the other ornaments you will be adding later on. Run the extension cord along the middle of the tree, covering it with a tree skirt or garlands.

Time to find out if you've done well-close the room lights and turn on the christmas lights. Take a step back and look over your tree. Are the lights balanced on all sides? Are they spaced well? Are there protruding pieces on the tree? Clip off unsightly pieces and tweak until you are happy. You have just successfully graduated from lessons in how to put lights on a christmas tree, congratulations! You have one last thing you need to do: enjoy! Merry Christmas! - 29958

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