Decorating the Christmas tree with balls, ribbons, bows, and tree toppers is certainly one of the most cherished Christmas traditions. As we know, the first task involves installing Christmas lights, but tangled wires and burnt bulbs only spoil the atmosphere.

But how do you choose and position the lights on the Christmas tree? What should be the length of the string?

We have gathered some golden rules and created the ultimate guide to Christmas lights. Discover the tricks that top designers use to decorate the Christmas tree.

What lights to choose for the Christmas tree?

Many have found themselves in front of a shelf full of Christmas light strings without any idea of what would suit their tree best.

Let's start with the length of the string: there is a really simple and ingenious rule for calculating this precisely.

Simply "remove a zero" from the height of the tree. So, suppose you have a 160 cm tall tree: 16 meters of Christmas lights are needed for a harmonious and symmetrical lighting.

On the market, you can also find:

• lights with transparent or dark wire;
• warm or cool-toned bulbs, powered by battery or electricity.

For these choices, there are no strict rules to follow, as it all depends on personal taste or needs.

The only precaution? Safety: make sure that the Christmas lights box always carries the CE marking, attesting to its compliance with European Union standards.

How to place the lights on the Christmas tree: techniques

The first rule to follow when decorating the Christmas tree is to position the lights, starting from the base, not from the top of the tree.

At this point, you can choose between two techniques:

The first is the "branch by branch" technique, which requires a longer string of lights but adds depth to the decoration by proceeding from the inside of each branch to the outside.

The second technique is the "inside-outside" one, which adds movement to the lighting by placing the lights outside the branch and then moving inside the next branch, also passing over and under the various branches.

Unlike decorations (which may not even be placed on the back of the tree if it's against a wall), Christmas lights must be present throughout the tree: only in this way is it possible to achieve a magical effect thanks to the reflection of the lights on the wall.

What to do if the lights on the Christmas tree are insufficient?

No need to panic: using shiny and mirrored balls will help amplify the lighting and mask the lack of a few additional Christmas lights.