- Christmas tree calculatorLights, baubles and garland for the height of your tree
- Decorate a tree onlinePick the lights, garland, baubles and topper and share a picture of your own tree
A classic tree by height
| Tree height | Lights | Baubles | Garland or tinsel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft | 500 | 75–100 | 10–15 ft (3–4.5 m) |
| 6 ft | 600 | 90–120 | 11–18 ft (3.5–5.5 m) |
| 7 ft | 700 | 105–140 | 15–21 ft (4.5–6.5 m) |
| 8 ft | 800 | 120–160 | 16–25 ft (5–7.5 m) |
Cooking a turkey for Christmas? Work out its size and cooking time.
The rules of thumb behind the numbers
- These are rules of thumb with ranges, not official numbers: trust your eye and the space you have.
- Lights: about 50 (minimal), 100 (classic) or 150–200 (very bright) per foot (30 cm) of height.
- Baubles: 10–15, 15–20 or 20–25 per foot (30 cm) of height.
- Garland and ribbon: 2–3 times the height – a tree is about 0.6 times as wide as it is tall and takes 6–8 turns.
- Topper: 1/10 to 1/8 of the height; tree skirt: the width of the tree plus 10–20 cm (4–8 in).
- Ceiling: leave about 15 cm (6 in) for the stand and 20 cm (8 in) for the topper.
Safety and decorating tips
- Use LED lights only: they stay cool and use far less power.
- Check the rating on the cable and the plug, and never connect more sets than the box allows.
- Water a real tree every day – a dry tree catches fire easily.
- Keep the tree away from radiators, the fireplace and candles.
- Put the lights on first, then the garland, then the baubles.
- Measure the doorway and the ceiling before you buy the tree.
Also useful
Drawing names for gifts too? Secret Santa on santa.haus.