Christmas Tree Light and Ornament Calculator
Pick your tree height and how full you like it. You get light, ornament, garland and ribbon counts right away.
FreeNo signupWorks on your phone
Your 7.5 ft standard tree
- LED mini lights
- 7508 strands of 100
- Ornaments
- 60 to 90Hang a third deep inside
- Garland
- 68 to 90 ft8 to 10 strands of 9 ft
- Ribbon
- 38 to 45 ft2 rolls of 10 yd
- Tree skirt
- 66 inTry a 60 or 72 in skirt
- Base width
- ~54 inTopper about 11 in
Rule of thumb: 100 mini lights per foot of height for a classic look. Safety: LED sets draw less power, so most let you link more sets end to end than incandescent ones. Still check the box for the maximum number of connected sets.
Shopping list
Christmas tree shopping list: 7.5 ft standard tree, classic look - LED mini lights: about 750 (8 strands of 100) - Ornaments: 60 to 90 - Garland: 68 to 90 ft (8 to 10 strands of 9 ft) - Ribbon: 38 to 45 ft (2 rolls of 10 yd) - Tree skirt: about 66 in across (a 60 or 72 in skirt) - Topper: about 11 in tall Base width: about 54 in. Rules of thumb, so buy a little extra. holidaydecorideas.com/tools/christmas-tree-calculator/
How to use the calculator
Tap your tree height, or pick any height from 2 to 12 feet in the list. Then choose the shape. Slim trees are narrow, standard covers most trees sold, and full means a wide, bushy tree. Pick how bright you want it and, if you like, the kind of lights you are buying. The numbers update as you tap. Copy the shopping list to your phone or print it for the store.
How many lights per foot of tree
The usual rule of thumb is about 100 mini lights per foot of tree height. That gives a 6-foot tree 600 lights and a 7-foot tree 700. Use about 75 per foot for a soft glow and 150 per foot for a dense, bright look. Slim trees need about a third fewer, and full trees about a quarter more. The calculator rounds to the nearest 50 and counts 100-light strands.
Big C9 bulbs work differently, since each bulb covers much more branch. A common rule from Bronner's is tree height in feet times base width in inches, divided by 2 for trees up to about 7 feet and by 3 for taller trees. That puts a standard 7.5-foot tree near 145 bulbs. Use only bulbs labeled for indoor tree use.
Electrical safety: every light set lists the maximum number of sets you can connect end to end. Check the box or tag before you link strands. LED sets draw less power, so they usually let you connect more than incandescent sets. Turn the lights off when you leave the house or go to bed.
Christmas tree lights, ornaments, garland and ribbon by height
For a standard tree at the classic 100 lights per foot. Slim trees can drop about a third from every column.
| Tree height | Mini lights | 100-light strands | Ornaments | Garland | Ribbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | 300 | 3 | 24 to 36 | 27 to 36 ft | 15 to 18 ft |
| 4 ft | 400 | 4 | 32 to 48 | 36 to 48 ft | 20 to 24 ft |
| 5 ft | 500 | 5 | 40 to 60 | 45 to 60 ft | 25 to 30 ft |
| 6 ft | 600 | 6 | 48 to 72 | 54 to 72 ft | 30 to 36 ft |
| 6.5 ft | 650 | 7 | 52 to 78 | 59 to 78 ft | 33 to 39 ft |
| 7 ft | 700 | 7 | 56 to 84 | 63 to 84 ft | 35 to 42 ft |
| 7.5 ft | 750 | 8 | 60 to 90 | 68 to 90 ft | 38 to 45 ft |
| 8 ft | 800 | 8 | 64 to 96 | 72 to 96 ft | 40 to 48 ft |
| 9 ft | 900 | 9 | 72 to 108 | 81 to 108 ft | 45 to 54 ft |
| 10 ft | 1,000 | 10 | 80 to 120 | 90 to 120 ft | 50 to 60 ft |
| 12 ft | 1,200 | 12 | 96 to 144 | 108 to 144 ft | 60 to 72 ft |
Ornament count by height
Plan on 8 to 12 ornaments per foot of tree. That is 48 to 72 for a 6-foot tree and 60 to 90 for a 7.5-foot tree. Go toward 12 per foot if ornaments are the main event, and toward 8 if you also use lots of ribbon, bows or picks. A slim tree takes about a third fewer. Hang about a third of them deep inside, near the trunk, so the tree looks full from every angle.
Garland and ribbon math
For garland, the calculator uses a decorator rule of thumb of 9 to 12 feet of garland per foot of tree height. That covers a full wrap in loose swags from top to bottom. A tree in a corner only needs the front half, so you can use up to half as much. Bead and tinsel garland often comes in 9-foot lengths, so the tool counts those too.
Ribbon runs shorter, about 5 to 6 feet per foot of height for loose loops or vertical cascades. A 7.5-foot tree takes about 38 to 45 feet. Most ribbon rolls hold 10 yards, so two rolls covers most full-size trees with a little left for a bow.
Tree skirt size chart
A skirt should hide the stand and show a few inches past the lowest branches. Measure across the widest bottom branches and add about 12 inches. If you have not bought the tree yet, the widths below are typical for artificial trees. Real trees vary more, so measure yours.
| Tree height | Slim width | Standard width | Full width | Skirt for a standard tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | 17 in | 22 in | 26 in | 30 or 36 in |
| 4 ft | 23 in | 29 in | 35 in | 36 or 42 in |
| 5 ft | 28 in | 36 in | 43 in | 48 in |
| 6 ft | 34 in | 43 in | 52 in | 52 or 56 in |
| 6.5 ft | 37 in | 47 in | 56 in | 56 or 60 in |
| 7 ft | 39 in | 50 in | 60 in | 60 or 72 in |
| 7.5 ft | 42 in | 54 in | 65 in | 60 or 72 in |
| 8 ft | 45 in | 58 in | 69 in | 72 in |
| 9 ft | 51 in | 65 in | 78 in | 72 or 84 in |
| 10 ft | 56 in | 72 in | 86 in | 84 in |
| 12 ft | 68 in | 86 in | 104 in | 84 in or a collar |
Order to decorate
Fluff the branches first, bottom row up. Then add lights from the trunk out to the tips, followed by ribbon or garland, large ornaments set deep, medium and small ornaments, picks and the topper. Our Christmas tree decorating ideas walk through each step with 20 looks you can copy. For more themes, browse all Christmas tree ideas.
Short on floor space? A 4 to 6-foot slim tree needs far less of everything. See our small apartment Christmas decor ideas. Leftover garland and ribbon can carry the same colors to a Christmas mantel. For the rest of the house, start with our Christmas decor ideas.
Frequently asked questions
How many lights do I need for a 7 foot Christmas tree?
A common rule of thumb is about 100 mini lights per foot of height, so plan on roughly 700 lights, or seven 100-light strands, for a 7-foot tree. Use about 550 for a soft glow or 1,050 for a bright, dense look. A slim 7-foot tree needs about a third fewer.
How many ornaments do I need for a 7.5 foot tree?
Plan on about 8 to 12 ornaments per foot of tree, so 60 to 90 for a standard 7.5-foot tree. A slim tree of the same height needs about a third fewer, around 40 to 60. A full, wide tree can take about 75 to 113. Use fewer if you also add lots of ribbon or picks.
How much garland do I need for a Christmas tree?
A decorator rule of thumb is 9 to 12 feet of garland per foot of tree height for a full wrap from top to bottom. That works out to 54 to 72 feet for a 6-foot tree and about 68 to 90 feet for a 7.5-foot tree. A tree in a corner only needs the front half covered.
How much ribbon do I need for a Christmas tree?
Plan on about 5 to 6 feet of ribbon per foot of tree height for loose loops or vertical cascades. A 6-foot tree takes 30 to 36 feet and a 7.5-foot tree takes about 38 to 45 feet. Most rolls hold 10 yards, which is 30 feet, so buy two rolls for most full-size trees.
What size tree skirt do I need?
Measure the tree across its widest bottom branches, then add about 12 inches so the skirt shows roughly 6 inches past the branches all around. A standard 7.5-foot tree is often about 54 inches wide, so a 60 or 72-inch skirt fits. A slim tree that height usually suits a 48 to 56-inch skirt.
More free planning tools: all decorating tools.
