The Christmas tree is always the centerpiece when it comes to decorating our homes for the festive season. And while we often focus on the beautiful baubles, tinsel or other shiny decoration, we often overlook the key thing that gives the Christmas tree its ‘wow’ factor — the lights.
In fact, without the magical glow, your Christmas tree would probably look quite dull rather than dazzling. So why do we neglect the humble string lights? Admittedly, hanging up Christmas string lights has been my least favorite part of tree decoration. Not only are the lights be tricky to neatly wrap around the branches, but it's time-consuming. No matter how many times I’d tried to create the perfect Christmas tree lighting, I would always end up being a tangled, unsightly mess. I was convinced that only a professional could master the art.
That was until I discovered this viral Christmas tree lighting technique that is a game-changer. The TikTok video posted by Kelly Fitzsimons shows us a clever, alternative method of Christmas tree lighting that involves 2,000 cluster lights, and more focus on the trunk rather than the branches.The spectacular end results are a brighter tree than ever — achieving that magical, Christmas movie glow. So if you want to up your Christmas tree lighting game, check out this simple yet stunning hack.
TikTok Christmas tree light hack
@kellyfitzsimons__ ♬ original sound - Kelly Fitzsimons
1. First, Kelly starts by unravelling three sets of 2,000, warm white, LED cluster lights, much like these Dazzle Bright Warm White Christmas String Lights ($49, Amazon). According to Kelly, these lights don’t really tangle which makes it much easier to decorate the tree.
2. Starting from the bottom, she pushes the lights right back against the trunk, rather than resting them along the branch tips. Not only does this help the lights to shine outwards, but also allows you to hide the wires more easily.
3. Next, Kelly begins to wrap the trunk using the zig-zag method. So instead of walking around the tree to wrap her lights (as we often do), she moves from left to right, and right to left, only concentrating on the front of the tree. To secure the lights properly, she intertwines them around the inner branches.
4. When the entire trunk is covered, Kelly then moves the lights outwards to each individual branch of the tree, still using the zig-zag method. This way, you’ll have a glowing light coming from underneath the branches as well as the top. Once she finishes, she has a dazzling, brightly lit Christmas tree to rival those in Hallmark movies.
It’s no surprise that this viral Christmas tree lighting hack has garnered more than 4.3 million views on TikTok, with over 900 comments from astonished viewers. One commenter stated, ‘I’ve never thought about putting cluster lights on the tree! Wow,’, while another joked, ‘They can see this tree from space.’ Either way, it’s definitely a game-changer for achieving the brightest Christmas tree ever, without all the hard effort and grumbles. Best of all, it will add a soft glow and warmth to your home, making it feel a lot more festive.
What is the zig-zag method?
Essentially, the zig-zag method is moving from left to right (and back again), whilst putting up your Christmas tree lighting. This is more effective than coiling or walking around your tree to wrap the lights; plus, you won’t waste any lights at the back that can’t be seen. In addition, the zig-zag method makes it far easier to take the lights down without them being a tangled mess, and getting all caught in the branches. So it’s a win-win!
If you want to prepare for next year, you can learn how to grow a Christmas tree and keep it for next year. And if you have pets, here's how to keep cats out of the Christmas tree. Also, if you want to light up your backyard for Christmas, you can always use some of the best solar lights to spruce it up. And check out 5 festive ways to decorate a Christmas tree.
Next: Looking for something to watch this Christmas? Check out the 10 best Hallmark Christmas movies.
