How Many Lights for a Christmas Tree? (Calculator and Chart by Height)
How many lights for a Christmas tree: about 100 mini lights per foot of height. Use the calculator for your tree's height and shape, with a chart by height and ornament counts.
In this guide · 7 sections
Plan on about 100 mini lights for every foot of tree: 600 for a 6 ft tree, 700 for a 7 ft tree, 750 for a 7.5 ft tree. That is the usual answer to how many lights for a Christmas tree, and it gives a classic, evenly lit look. Half that amount is a soft glow; one and a half times is a bright tree you can read by.
The number moves with the shape of the tree and how lit you like it, so set your own below. The calculator also estimates ornaments, since that is the next thing you will count.
How Many Lights for a Christmas Tree, by Height
The chart uses the same rule as the calculator, for a tree of standard width. Counts are rounded up to the next 50, because that is how lights are sold.
| Tree height | Soft glow (50 per ft) | Classic (100 per ft) | Bright (150 per ft) | Strings of 100, classic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | 150 | 300 | 450 | 3 |
| 4 ft | 200 | 400 | 600 | 4 |
| 5 ft | 250 | 500 | 750 | 5 |
| 6 ft | 300 | 600 | 900 | 6 |
| 6.5 ft | 350 | 650 | 1,000 | 7 |
| 7 ft | 350 | 700 | 1,050 | 7 |
| 7.5 ft | 400 | 750 | 1,150 | 8 |
| 8 ft | 400 | 800 | 1,200 | 8 |
| 9 ft | 450 | 900 | 1,350 | 9 |
| 10 ft | 500 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 10 |
| 12 ft | 600 | 1,200 | 1,800 | 12 |
Where the rule comes from: lighting retailers publish it. Christmas Lights Etc says to plan for at least 100 lights per vertical foot on an indoor tree. 1000Bulbs gives 100 incandescent mini lights per foot for a conservative look and up to 200 per foot for a brighter one, and about 50 per foot for LED mini lights. Our three columns sit inside that range. None of it is a measurement: it is a starting point you adjust by eye.
How Many Strings of Lights Is That?
Divide the number of lights by the number on the box, and round up. A 7 ft tree at the classic level needs 700 lights: 14 strings of 50, 7 strings of 100, 4 strings of 200 or 3 strings of 300.
If you think in feet of lights instead, check the box as well. The length of a string depends on how far apart the bulbs sit, so two strings of 100 can differ by several feet. Count bulbs first and treat length as a check that the string will reach.
What Changes the Number
Tree shape
A wide, thick tree has more branch to cover than a narrow one of the same height. 1000Bulbs suggests up to a quarter more lights for thick trees, and the calculator adds 25% for a full tree. For a slim or pencil tree it takes off 25%. That second figure is our own estimate, not a published rule, so trust your eyes over it: a 6 ft pencil tree lands at 450 lights instead of 600.
Slim trees are the easy choice for apartments. If you are still deciding on one, our small Christmas tree ideas sort them by how much floor they take, and Christmas decor for a small apartment covers the rest of the room.
LED or incandescent
Guides disagree here. 1000Bulbs halves the count for LED mini lights, on the grounds that they are brighter. Other charts use one number for both. A sensible approach is to start at the classic level with LEDs and step down to the soft glow if it looks harsh in your room.
| LED mini lights | Incandescent mini lights | |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Crisper; choose "warm white" for a soft tone | Warm by nature |
| Running cost | Use much less energy | Use more |
| Lifespan | Long; rarely need replacing | Shorter; bulbs burn out |
| Strings end to end | Many more allowed per run | Fewer allowed per run |
If warm light matters to you beyond the tree, our lighting ideas for apartments without ceiling lights explain how to pick bulbs by color temperature.
Bulb size
The counts above are for mini lights. Larger C7 bulbs need about half as many, according to Christmas Lights Etc, because each one covers more of the branch.
Pre-lit trees
A pre-lit tree already has its count printed on the box, so compare it with the chart. If it sits at the soft glow level and you want more, add one or two strings of the same color of white rather than rewiring the tree.
How Many Ornaments for a Christmas Tree
There is less agreement on ornaments than on lights, because it depends on how big they are. Old World Christmas suggests 100 to 150 for a 6 ft tree, 120 to 170 for a 7 ft tree and 200 to 260 for a 9 ft tree. The calculator's classic range is a curve fitted to those figures, so it runs slightly wider at some heights.
| Tree height | Sparse | Classic | Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | 30–50 | 50–80 | 80–100 |
| 5 ft | 45–75 | 75–110 | 110–145 |
| 6 ft | 60–100 | 100–150 | 150–195 |
| 7 ft | 75–130 | 130–190 | 190–250 |
| 7.5 ft | 85–145 | 145–215 | 215–280 |
| 9 ft | 115–190 | 190–285 | 285–370 |
Mix sizes rather than buying one. Old World Christmas's order works well: hang your favorites first and higher up, put heavy pieces low where branches are sturdier, fill gaps with a mix of sizes, and place the topper last.
How to Put Lights on a Christmas Tree So the Count Works
The same 700 lights can look thin or rich depending on where they go. Lights go on first, before ribbon, garland and ornaments.
There are three common methods. Wrapping around the outside is fastest and uses the fewest lights, but the tree glows only at its surface. Weaving in and out, from the trunk to the tip of a branch and back, uses more and gives depth, because light comes from inside the tree. Vertical runs, top to bottom in sections like slices of a cake, make the strings easy to take off in January. If you weave, choose the classic or bright level; a soft glow count will run out before the top.
If you rent and the lights continue past the tree, along a shelf or around a window, you can hang Christmas decorations without nails. Spare strings also do good work on a mantel; see our Christmas mantel decor ideas.
How Many Strings Can You Plug Together?
Fewer than most people assume with incandescent lights, and many more with LEDs. Christmas Lights Etc notes that incandescent mini strings typically connect 5 to 10 strands in one run, while LED sets allow far longer runs.
The number that counts is the one on your own lights: every string has a tag near the plug, and a line on the box, stating how many sets may be connected end to end. Follow that, not a general figure. If the tree needs more strings than one run allows, start a second run from a separate socket on the power strip.
Practical Takeaway
Multiply the tree's height in feet by 100 for a classic look, by 50 for a soft glow or by 150 for a bright tree. Add a quarter for a wide tree, take a little off for a slim one, and buy one spare string. For ornaments, start near 100 for a 6 ft tree and fill gaps by eye.
FAQ
How many lights for a 7 ft Christmas tree?
About 700 mini lights for a classic look, which is 7 strings of 100. Use about 350 for a soft glow and about 1,050 for a bright tree.
How many lights for a 6 ft Christmas tree?
About 600 mini lights. The range runs from 300 for a soft glow to 900 for a bright tree, and a slim 6 ft tree needs roughly 450.
How many strings of 100 lights for a 7.5 ft tree?
Eight strings at the classic level, which gives 800 lights against the 750 the rule asks for. Buy nine and you have a spare.
Do LED lights need fewer bulbs than incandescent?
Some guides say half as many, because LEDs are brighter; others use the same chart for both. Start with the classic number and reduce it if the tree looks harsh.
How many ornaments for a 7 ft Christmas tree?
Old World Christmas suggests 120 to 170. Use fewer if your ornaments are large and more if they are small.
Do lights or ornaments go on the tree first?
Lights first, then ribbon or garland, then ornaments, and the topper last.
