The mood of a Christmas tree comes from the lights as much as from the ornaments. A well chosen string of lights, put on properly, changes the whole look of the tree: warmer, more elegant, far more premium.
But how many metres does a 180, 210 or 230 cm tree need? And how should you put the lights on so that they do more than just shine?
How much fairy light does a tree need?
As a general rule, the taller and fuller the tree, the longer the string you need.
As a starting point:
- 150 cm tree: roughly 10 to 15 metres
- 180 cm tree: roughly 15 to 20 metres
- 210 cm tree: roughly 20 to 25 metres
- 230 cm tree: roughly 25 to 30 metres
- 250 cm tree: roughly 30 to 35 metres
- 300 cm tree: up to 40 to 50 metres
The exact amount also depends on how full the tree is, how densely the branches sit, and how intense you want the light to be.
How you put the lights on matters
Most people instinctively wind the string around the tree, working horizontally from top to bottom.
That works, but if you want a genuinely elegant, premium effect, a different technique is worth the trouble.
The secret to a premium look: vertical lighting
The more striking approach is to run the lights vertically, from the top down, instead of winding them horizontally around the tree.
The sections start at the top, run down through the branches, then come back up, and you work your way around the whole tree that way.
This has several advantages.
The light spreads far more evenly across the tree, you avoid darker and over bright patches, and the lighting follows the shape of the tree more naturally.
The lights also stop appearing as stripes and start giving the tree depth. That is what makes the result look far more elegant and professional.
If you want a truly premium look, this is one of the simplest tricks that makes a visible difference.
How to put the lights on vertically
Start at the top and run the string down one side, all the way to the lowest branches.
Then come back up along a different line, and go down again.
In effect you move around the whole tree in long vertical waves.
Take care not to keep the string only on the outer tips. Tuck the lights a little deeper in places, because that is what gives the tree real depth.
More light or less?
If you want a restrained, Scandinavian feel, less light is enough.
If you want the tree to be the centre of the room in the evening, plan for slightly too much rather than too little.
For a premium look, many small light points usually look better than a few larger bulbs spaced far apart.
Which colour temperature to choose
Warm white suits classic, elegant trees best.
It looks especially good with:
- a green tree,
- gold,
- champagne,
- beige,
- brown,
- burgundy,
- or natural wooden ornaments.
Cool white gives a more modern, icy effect, so it suits silver, white and blue decoration.
How many light points should the tree have?
It is not only the length of the string that matters, but how densely the LEDs sit on it.
Two strings of the same length can differ hugely: one may have 200 small light points, another 500 or more.
For a full, elegant effect, choose a string with a denser LED spacing.
In short: how much fairy light to buy
- 150 cm tree: 10 to 15 m
- 180 cm tree: 15 to 20 m
- 210 cm tree: 20 to 25 m
- 230 cm tree: 25 to 30 m
- 250 cm tree: 30 to 35 m
- 300 cm tree: 40 to 50 m
And if you want a really good result, do not look at quantity alone.
Run the lights vertically, from the top down, instead of simply winding them around the tree.
That small difference is one of the easiest ways to make the tree look tidier, richer and more premium.
The full decorating routine, step by step: Decorating a Christmas tree step by step.