Christmas Tree Lights

The main kinds of Christmas tree lights

Classic Christmas string lights, often called fairy lights, space small bulbs along a thin cable for a light, starry sparkle that lets your baubles shine. Cluster lights pack many tiny bulbs tightly together, so the glow looks full and rich even from across the room, and some of our sets are built this way. Berry lights set their bulbs inside small round covers, like a string of berries threaded through the branches, and we have a few of those too.

The colour of the light matters as much as the style, and some of ours glow warm white, the soft golden shade that recalls traditional filament bulbs.

Matching lights to your tree and your room

Start with the tree itself. Measure its height and look at how full the branches are, because a tall, bushy tree needs far more bulbs than a slim one. A generous glow on a large tree often takes more than one set, so decide early whether you want a soft scattering of light or a tree that is bright from top to bottom.

Then think about style and mood. Warm white sits happily with green branches, gold baubles and natural touches such as pine cones; berry lights suit a rustic or woodland look; and a dense cluster set gives a large room a tree that glows from the inside. Moving patterns bring a livelier feel to a busy family home, while calm, steady light suits Christmas dinner and quiet evenings.

Plug-in or battery, light settings and timers

Many of our sets plug in at the wall, which suits a big tree that stays lit through long evenings, with no batteries to change. A battery set needs no socket, so it suits a small tree on a windowsill, a shelf or a table; tuck the battery box behind a branch or a bauble, out of sight but easy to reach when you want to switch on.

A multi-function set lets you switch between a steady glow and gentle or lively moving patterns, and plenty of ours work this way. A timer typically runs the lights for a few hours, then switches them off until the same time the next day, saving a nightly trip to the switch, and some of ours have one.

Trees in the hall, the window and the porch

In a hallway, run the cable neatly along the skirting board and away from where people walk. In a bay window, wind a few extra lengths round the side that faces the street so passers-by catch the glow too. A good number of our lights are suitable for outdoor use as well, so a potted tree by the front door can shine alongside the one indoors; choose a sheltered spot such as a covered porch, and keep the plug or battery box dry and off the ground.

Getting the lights onto the branches

Switch your lights on for a quick check before they go on the tree, while they are still easy to straighten out. Begin where the plug or battery box will sit, usually low at the back, and work upwards, weaving in and out of the branches rather than circling the outside like a bandage. Push some lengths deep towards the trunk and leave others near the tips, then step back, half close your eyes and fill any dark patches before the baubles go on.

Looking after your lights between Christmases

Switch off and unplug before you take the lights down, and lift them off the branches gently rather than pulling, which strains the cable. Wind them loosely round an empty reel or a cardboard tube, tape the ends and pack them in a box somewhere cool and dry. Take the batteries out of battery sets before storing them, as old batteries left for months can leak. A quick look over the cable and bulbs before they go back on the tree keeps next Christmas simple.