Hanging Christmas Tree Lights is often one of our least favorite seasonal activities. Tangled wires and bulbs that don’t work are a nuisance especially when the kids are eager to start hanging the baubles .
Last year I used two large sets of lights, hiding whole sections of non-working lights in the middle of the tree. This year I bought new ones, for safety reasons as much as for the ease of stringing the tree. It’s worth checking your lights in advance just in case you need to buy new ones. It’s harder to add lights to the tree after it’s been decorated. It’s best to put them on first. Here’s a video showing you how.
How To String Christmas Tree Lights Video
[youtube]http://youtu.be/OdbC_4ogalQ[/youtube]
Instructions
- Check your lights for any frayed wires or non-working bulbs. If any wires are frayed don’t use them. It’s not worth risking a fire.
- Hang your lights before putting anything else on the tree.
- Rather than wrapping the lights round and round the tree, it’s easier doing it in sections and go back and forth.
- Plug in the lights or leave the plug close to the socket. You don’t want to hang them all only to find that the plug won’t reach.
- Start by adding a layer of lights on the inside of the tree, close to the trunk.
- Then add another layer along the branches but not too close to the tips, where you’ll be adding the baubles.
- Before you add anything else, check that the lights are evenly spaced over the tree.
Christmas Tree Lights Safety
- Make sure your lights are compliant with your country’s safety standards. Beware of buying lights that come from overseas.
- If you see particularly cheap lights online beware! Even if they might be shipped from within your country they might still be cheap overseas lights that don’t meet standards. I made that mistake a couple of years ago. I wouldn’t use them because they had a non standard plug and a small, flimsy looking transformer.
- If you use an extension wire make sure it’s fully unwound to stop it getting overheated.
- Use a power board that has a safety cut off switch. Avoid double adapters because they often don’t stay securely in the socket.
- Don’t overload one socket. If you need more use an extension wire and use a different socket.
- Always turn off your Christmas Lights if there’s no-one home and when going to bed. Turn the lights off when watering a real tree.
- Make sure your smoke detector batteries are working by pressing the test buttons. To test that the detector itself works, use smoke detector aerosol spray. Don’t use any other kind of aerosol or candle smoke. Both can damage the alarm sensors. Warn anyone else in the house before you start testing!
For more information on Christmas Light safety, check out the Use safe Christmas lights page by Work Cover Queensland
Tips
Avoid tangled your Christmas Tree lights, when storing them away, by wrapping each set separately around a sheet of cardboard a cardboard tube or a rolled up piece of bubble wrap.