How to Wrap Trees and Bushes With Christmas Lights

Wrap a tree that loses its leaves up the trunk and out along its main limbs, and wrap evergreens and tall shrubs through the branches from the bottom up. Lay net lights over low, rounded bushes.

Trunk wrap or canopy wrap: which is better?

It depends on the tree.

Trunk wrap. Lights spiral up the trunk, and often out along the main limbs. It’s the classic look for a maple, ash or other leafy tree, since in December the trunk is the shape you see. Most of it can be reached without a tall ladder.
Canopy wrap. Lights run out along the branches into the crown, so the whole tree glows. It takes a lot more lights and ladder time, and looks best on small to medium trees and on evergreens like spruce and pine.
Trunk plus main limbs. The middle ground: the outline of the tree without lighting every twig.

A simple rule: if the tree is bare in December, light the trunk and limbs. If it’s green all year, light the canopy.

Are net lights good for bushes?

Yes, on the right bush. Net lights are strands woven into a grid that you lay over a shrub like a blanket, for a fast, even glow.

Use nets on low, round or boxy shrubs like boxwood, and on short hedges with a flat top.
Use strands on tall, narrow shrubs like arborvitae and upright juniper. Spiral them from the bottom up, the same as a small tree.
Skip nets on spiky or very open shrubs. The grid sags into the gaps and looks patchy.

Pick a net that covers the bush, not one you have to stretch. Tuck the edges under the lower branches so the wind can’t lift them.

What should you light first?

If you can’t light everything this year, go in this order, starting with what the street sees most.

The roofline. It frames the whole house, and it’s the first thing the street sees.
One feature tree. The one nearest the front walk or in the middle of the yard. One wrapped tree can do more than a row of lit bushes.
The entry. The bushes along the walk and by the door, plus a wreath or garland at the front door, so the way in looks finished.
Everything else. Side-yard trees, back-yard trees you see from the patio, and hedges along the fence.

It’s an easy way to grow a display over a few seasons. Here’s what changes the cost of an install.

How do you wrap a tree with Christmas lights?

Doing it yourself? This is the method that looks even and comes down clean.

Start at the plug. Find your outdoor outlet first, then start the first strand at the base of the tree on the side closest to it.
Use outdoor-rated lights and cords on a GFCI outdoor outlet, and test every strand on the ground first.
Keep the spacing even. Keep the same gap between rows all the way up. Closer rows look brighter but take more lights. Not sure how many to buy? Here’s how many Christmas lights you need.
Go out the limb and back. Wrap out toward the tip of a branch and back along it, so the strand ends at the trunk.
Stick to one kind of bulb. Two shades of white, or two bulb sizes, look patchy at night.
Check the box for how many strands the maker says you can connect end to end, and stay under it.
Keep plugs and connections off the ground, out of puddles and away from sprinkler heads.
Be smart on the ladder. Set it on firm, level ground, not soft lawn, and have someone hold it. If the tree is near a power line, stop: Idaho Power says to stay at least 10 feet back from overhead lines, and farther from higher-voltage lines.

Will Christmas lights hurt my tree?

Not if they come off after the season. North Dakota State University’s tree pages warn that ties, wires and straps left around a trunk or branch will girdle the tree in time, including the ties that hold Christmas lights.

Wrap snug, not tight. The strand should lie against the bark, not squeeze it.
Hold lights with soft ties or the strand itself. No wire, nails or staples in the tree.
Take every light and every tie off after the season, even on trees you plan to light again next year.
Unwind in reverse. Yanking a strand down from the ground snaps twigs, and branches get brittle in the cold.

How do wrapped trees hold up in Idaho snow and wind?

Snow can come early here. The National Weather Service says Boise’s first measurable snow comes around November 23 on average, so wrap in early to mid November, on dry branches.

Snow on low bushes. A heavy snow can bury net lights on short shrubs for a few days. A wrapped trunk stays above it and keeps glowing.
Snow on evergreens. Wet snow pushes spruce and pine limbs down. Fasten canopy strands at a few points per branch so they move with the limb.
Wind. Foothill lots and open subdivisions with few big trees catch a lot of wind. Tie strands down so they can’t whip and tangle.

More on how Christmas lights handle Idaho snow and rain.

Can a pro wrap your trees and bushes?

Yes. Along with roofline lights, we wrap trees and bushes and hang wreaths and garland, all in the same install. Tell us on the quote form what you’d like lit, and we’ll build it into your free quote. You’ll hear back within one business day, with zero pressure to book.

Planned around your yard. On install day we look over your roofline and trees first. If a big tree hangs over the roof, we plan the run around the branches and can wrap the trunk.
Commercial-grade LED lights and a weather-ready install built for Idaho winters.
Every strand tested on install day, and a walk around the display with you before we leave.
Mid-season fixes: if a strand goes dark or the weather knocks something loose, call us and we’ll come back to fix it.
Takedown on your date, usually in January or February. Your lights go into labeled bins in our storage unit until next season.

Tree and bush wrapping is part of our installs across the valley, whether it’s a young tree in a newer Kuna yard, a big tree out front of an older Nampa home, a tree over the roof in Garden City or trees near the house in Eagle. See Christmas light installation in Boise, or call or text (208) 418-7929, Monday through Saturday, 8am to 7pm.

How to Wrap Trees and Bushes With Christmas Lights in Boise