Have your neighbors already put up Christmas trees?

The time may be coming soon for you, but you may not want to decorate it the same way you’ve been doing it forever. Eyeing tree displays while out shopping or scrolling through photos is giving you all sorts of ideas, and we have one more for you to consider.

It’s not a major overhaul, but a tiny change in the lights. Oh gosh, you say. They’re already a pain to unravel, and once you finally finish playing ring-around-the-rosie with your tree, some of the bulbs decide to quit. One thing you can do to change this routine is to hang your lights vertically.

Designer Francisco Bilotto recommends this method as a quicker route to getting the lights up while also covering the entire tree. You’re less likely to use multiple hordes of strings or lose some of the bulbs to the dark center of the tree, where their glare can barely be seen.

Doable with either an artificial or real tree, the vertical technique only requires a few simple steps. Just take the end of the light string that doesn’t have the plug prongs and place it at the top of your tree. Hang them downwards until they reach the bottom.

Move your strand over to the right about 3-4 inches, and then work back up the tree, manipulating the lights through the branches so your rows aren’t in a straight line. Repeat until the entire tree is covered.

Adjust the branches as needed to conceal the cord, but keep in mind that once you get your ornaments and other decorations up, it won’t be so obvious. Vertical lighting will not only make your tree look brighter, but is less cumbersome and time-consuming for you to remove! Check out the vertical lights in this pic.

If you still want to stick to your traditional system of getting things lit, no problem! Howcast’s video below highlights some general tips for hanging your Christmas tree lights. One rule of thumb is to have 100 lights for each foot of the tree.

An interesting option they point out is the use of LED lights. They’re energy-efficient, stay cool to the touch, and have a longer life span than regular lights. Sure, they cost a bit more, but they’re flameproof and may save you money in the long run.

Wait until the lights are up before trimming the rest of the tree. Test them to make sure you like the placement, and tweak them as needed.

For more handy tips on hanging lights, watch the full video. Of course, if you want to skip this job altogether, you can also opt for a pre-lit tree. Either way, decorating your tree is half the fun of having one!

Whether you decide to give your Christmas tree a vertical or horizontal glow, your own creative touch is what will make it shine.

Are you interested in trying the vertical hanging technique? What’s your system for Christmas tree lights?

Source:
Today