Colors & Placement of Christmas Lights

The lights on your tree are such important elements that they must be considered as part of the color scheme. We can emphasize the "mood" of the tree through the lights we place on it. Blue lights make us think of a cold frosty night; pink ones are sweet and gentle; white ones are reminiscent of purity and boldness; yellow denotes promise; cream color, a combination of white and yellow, suggests elusive happiness and gentle unity. Red and white in combination are festive while red alone is somber and depressing. Green can be used to impart a mystic spiritual quality or to create a mood of fantasy. Purple radiates a feeling of royalty and wisdom. Lights cannot be passed over lightly for they set up the reflecting surfaces which make your tree come alive. Use your lights to create color patterns.

To accentuate the slender column form tree, start the string at the bottom in back and wind around the tree at equal intervals barber-pole fashion until you reach the top. As a variation, graduate the distances between the rows of lights by having the spaces nearer the bottom closer together growing wider as they reach the top (see drawing).

Accentuate the pyramidal shape of the tree by placing lights in equidistant rows on the lowest branches. Have them converge at the top of the tree (see drawing).

Try winding strings of lights among the branches about ten inches out from the trunk of the tree in a Della Robbia garland effect (see drawing).

Use straight wire clips (at dollar stores) to hold your light socket in place on the branch.

Place the lights in position before any decorations are added to eliminate breakage and disarrangement of the design.