No Christmas scene would be complete without the magical glitter of lights. Their beautiful glow adds a sense of wonder and warmth to a variety of locations both indoors and outdoors. However, unlike the Christmas tree in your living room, the trees and shrubs in your yard will continue growing after the season is over. Because of this, you must take special care when dressing them up for the holidays. These simple tips will help you spruce up your outdoor plants for Christmas safely.
3 Do’s for Wrapping Your Trees and Shrubs for Christmas
#1 DO: Calculate How Many Lights You Need
There’s nothing worse than getting a tree halfway wrapped only to realize that you’ve run out of Christmas lights. To avoid this, it’s important to do a little preplanning and calculating beforehand. Determine which trees you plan on decorating and what branches you plan to wrap. It’s not necessary to wrap every single tree branch, just enough for an even distribution of light. The type of tree will also impact how many lights you will need. Evergreens are denser and will require more lights than a deciduous tree that drops its leaves in the fall.
Once you’ve chosen your trees, measure the circumference of the tree trunk and the branches you plan to decorate. Also, decide on how much spacing you want to have between each string. Divide the height by the spacing between strings.
For example, let’s say you want to wrap a tree with a 60” H trunk with a 24” circumference and three branches that measure 48” L and have a 6” circumference. You plan on having 3” inches of spacing between each string. To determine the amount you would use this formula:
- Trunk: 60” Height/3” of Spacing = 20” total x 24” circumference = 480” or 40 ft of lights needed for the trunk
- Branch: 48” Height/3” of Spacing = 16” total x 6” circumference = 96” or 8 ft of lights needed for each branch
For this tree, 40 ft of lights are needed for the trunk and 8 ft are needed for each of the three branches. This means that you would need a total of 64 ft of string lights to wrap this tree.
#2 DO: Use LED Lights
There are a number of benefits to LED Christmas lights. LED lights are 75% more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. This means that they cost less to operate and will last significantly longer. LEDs are also brighter than traditional incandescent bulbs of the same wattage. This makes them a great choice for the outdoors and ensures that everyone will be able to see your beautiful lights from the street.
#3 DO: Create a Light Ball
Once you have all the lights you need, it’s time to wrap your tree. The best method for this is to create a light ball. Before you create your ball, test all the lights to ensure that there are no dead bulbs. Next, wrap your lights into a ball so you can easily keep hold of the lights in one hand. Plus, this method keeps the lights organized and easy to wrap around a trunk or tree branch. Start at the base of the tree and work upwards. Make sure the male end of the lights is easy to access at the base of the tree so you can connect it to a power source. Once you reach the end of the light string, connect the next string and continue wrapping. Secure the final strand with a zip tie to keep the whole display stable.
3 Don’ts for Wrapping Your Trees and Shrubs for Christmas
#1 DON’T: Hang Lights on Young or Weak Trees
As tempting as it can be to cover all your trees with lights, some trees don’t have the strength to support strings of lights. Be sure to assess the health of all potential trees before you start decorating. Do not decorate any young trees as their branches are often too tender to support the weight of the lights and wrapping the tree too tightly can stunt its growth. Instead wait a few years before giving this tree the holiday treatment. You should also avoid any trees with damaged branches. Accidentally taking down a branch or two will certainly put a damper on your Christmas display and potentially cause damage to the tree or anything positioned beneath it. Ideally, look for a healthy tree with strong branches that would serve as a striking focal point.
#2 DON’T: Use Indoor-Rated Lights
Indoor and outdoor Christmas lights may look the same, but they are actually quite different. Outdoor-rated Christmas lights are designed to resist the December snow and cold temperatures. Indoor-rated lights don’t have this protection and use outdoors could lead to the bulbs breaking or electrical shorting which could result in a fire.
#3 DON’T: Overload a Circuit
When using string lights, inflatables, or any other type of electric-powered decoration, safety must be the first concern. Always read the instructions for your decorations and follow their guidance. Don’t plug too many items into one outlet, and as a rule of thumb never connect more than three strings of Christmas lights together. A little caution will help prevent your entire house going dark because of a tripped circuit.
With a little finesse and planning, transforming your yard into a magical winter wonderland is simple. All you need to do is spend a little extra time preparing to make sure that both you and your trees stay safe through this festive season.
For more information about outdoor holiday decorating, check out our articles 7 Festive Tips for Decorating an Apartment Balcony for Christmas and 10 Do’s and Don’ts to Safely Decorate Your Roof for Christmas.
