How to Put Firecracker Lights on a Christmas Tree and How Many You Really Need
When Annie and Tommy moved from Texas to Chicago, they packed a lot of things. Christmas decorations were not one of them. Only a few precious ornaments and some custom-made stockings. So this year, they are basically starting over.
A brand new city. A loft apartment with ceilings that seem to go on forever. And a little boy who is almost three and, for the very first time, is old enough to understand that Christmas is pure magic.
As a mom, a grandma, and a former interior designer who cannot help herself, I could not wait to help them create this magic this year. King of Christmas sent us their 9ft. King Noble fir, unlit, and we spent a weekend at the loft deciding where the tree should go, setting it up, and wrapping it in the viral firecracker lights you have probably seen all over your feed.
This will be a 2-part series, with the first part being the placing of the tree, setting it up, and lighting it. The decorated tree gets its own post, and you are going to want to see where this one is headed.
Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with King of Christmas, who gifted the tree. All opinions are my own (and Annie’s, and she has plenty). This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can find my full Disclosure Policy HERE
Why We Chose an Unlit 9 Ft. King Noble Fir
A loft is a big, open space, and a small tree would get lost in it. With 11′ ceilings, a 9 ft. tree fills the room without crowding it, and it makes all that open space feel cozy. So this year they are starting over, beginning with a 9 ft tree and the viral firecracker lights you have probably seen all over your feed.
I have set up a King of Christmas tree in my own home before so, I already know how realistic their trees look and how easy they are to put together. Annie’s tree is the 9ft King Noble Fir that has 1,622 tips, is 60 wide, and comes with its own stand.
Then there is the unlit part. Pre-lit trees are convenient, but you are married to those lights for the life of the tree. Going unlit meant Annie could choose exactly the look she wanted, and she wanted firecracker lights. If you have ever wondered whether to buy pre-lit or unlit, this is one reason to purchase an unlit tree. The other reason is economics. An unlit tree is about $400 cheaper. Something to consider.
Where to Put a Christmas Tree in a Loft Apartment
Before we opened a single box, we walked the room. Open floor plans are wonderful until you try to decide where to put things. Here is what we thought about, and these considerations should work for any home.
- Sight lines: Where will you see the tree from the sofa, from the front door, and from the street?
- Outlets: Put the tree near one so no cords cross a walkway.
- Heat: Keep it away from radiators and heat vents.
- Little hands: think about where a toddler will be running, reaching, and helping.
- Windows: At night the lights reflect in the glass, and in a city, the skyline becomes part of the view.
We looked at two different spots. In the corner tucked in between the patio door corner and the sofa or against the wall on the other side of the sofa. We chose the space by the patio door corner because 1) You can see the tree out the window. 2) It’s tucked in the corner between the sofa and a chair, which keeps it out of the way of little Harrison. 3) You can clearly see the whole apartment and the tree from the front door. It’s the perfect spot.
How Easy is a King of Christmas Tree to Set Up?
Here is the funny part. When Annie opened the box and looked at the tree, she looked at me and said she hated it. My heart sank! But a tree fresh out of the box is all squished branches and flat tips, and as I always say, things get worse before they get better.
Once it was up and fluffed, she stepped back, looked at it for a minute, and said “I love it.” Fluffing and seeing it all put together makes all the difference.
From opening the box to a fully assembled tree took about 5 minutes.
Step by Step
- Unboxed and sorted the sections. They were marked A, B, C, and D. We put the bag to store the tree in, the gloves, and the instructions to the side.
- The stand, which is included, is just one twist to make it square.
- We put the bottom section in the stand and then stacked the remaining sections.
- Pulled down all the branches and started fluffing.
How to Fluff an Artificial Christmas Tree
Start at the bottom and work your way around the tree, then up. This King Nobile Fir is built a little differently than the other King of Christmas trees I own. The inner branches are made of more flexible material that fluffs easily. The tips are made of a sturdier material that needs very little shaping. My guess is that the sturdier tips keep their shape better for years and years of beauty.
Straight out of the box, though, those tips look stiff and artificial, and that is exactly why Annie hated it. Once the inner branches were fluffed and the tree was standing, the whole thing came together.
What Are Firecracker Lights?
If you have spent any time on TikTok or Instagram, you have probably seen them. Firecracker lights are tiny LED lights clustered on thin wire. So each strand looks like a string of little bursts of light. Wrapped around the branches of a tree, they glow from the inside out instead of sitting on the surface like traditional bulbs.
We used (3) 100 ft. strands with 2000 lights and (1) 25 ft. strand with 500 lights.
How We Put Firecracker Lights on Our Christmas Tree
Annie has a method, and it is not for the faint of heart. She wraps every single branch, working down the stem and then back up again, before she moves on to the next branch. It takes time and a lot of lights, but the result is a tree that glows from the trunk all the way out to the tips.
Step by Step
- Test every strand before it goes on the tree.
- Start at the bottom, close to the trunk.
- Wrap one branch at a time, down the stem and back up again, then move to the next branch at the trunk connection.
- Hide the connections and extra cord along the back and trunk
How Many Firecracker Lights Do You Need for a 9 Ft Tree?
More than you think. We started with two 100 ft stands, 4000 LED lights, and they only got us halfway up the tree. So we ordered more. The third 100 ft strand got us almost to the top, and a 25 ft strand finished it off.
That is 325 feet and 6,500 LED lights for a 9 ft tree with every branch wrapped. If you wrap more loosely or only wrap the outer half of each branch, you will need far fewer. Either way, buy a little extra. Running out halfway up the tree is no fun.
A Noble Fir is a very open-looking tree (Keith and Tommy call them a “Charlie Brown tree” ); if your tree is fuller; that adds another dimension to the amount of lights. Honestly, I think you would need far fewer, as you would most likely be draping them on the tips only.
Right now the tree is very bright. Really bright. Annie is hoping that once the ornaments go on and a big bow sits at the top, it will soften the glow. The lights do have a dimmer, and when Annie used the remote to dim the lights at the top, all the lights had the same look.
Create the Same Christmas Look
Starting New Christmas Traditions in a New City
This is the part that makes my heart full. Harrison’s eyes lit up when we turned all the lights on the Christmas tree. Annie is almost making many of her ornaments, and Harrison is old enough to participate in some of the DIY projects. He’s loving painting colorful ornaments.
He’ll be three a little over a week before Christmas, and this is such a magical age for Christmas. He is old enough to understand that something special is happening, and he stands to benefit from this occasion. 🙂 He’s young enough to believe in every bit of the season. His dad is Jewish, so we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas in our households.
Moving to Chicago not only means a new Christmas tree, it also means Annie and Tommy get to start their own traditions with their little family. We are hoping that living here will mean that both sides of their families can celebrate the season together.
Here are a few new tradition ideas that we have been talking about:
- Letting the youngest plug in the lights on the tree for the first time each year
- Making homemade ornaments together: Painting ornaments, stringing dried oranges, cranberries, and/or popcorn,
- Take a family photo in front of the tree
- Enjoy all the kid-friendly holiday fun in the city of Chicago: Christkindl Market, Christmas tree lighting in Millennium Park, skating at Maggie Daley Park, Lincoln Park Zoolights, Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier, Christmas window displays at Macy’s on State Street, and Wilmette Menorah Lighting.
- Annie is a great baker, so I’m hoping she can start a cookie exchange (at her house 😉 )
- Watch “Christmas Vacation” for the 1999th time.
- Lobster Eggs Benedict for breakfast and Chinese takeout for dinner on Christmas Day.
Planning the Look: Starting a Christmas Collection from Scratch
Now for the fun part, and the part where Annie and I learned that a mother and daughter can look at the same tree and see two entirely different Christmases.
Their sofa is hunter green, and the area rug is blue, so in my mind, I saw a classic tree. Green and blue plaid ribbon, the whole Ralph Lauren look. Timeless, traditional, and, if I am being honest with myself, very me.
Become a Friend of Living Large
Be the first to see affordable decorating ideas, gardening tips and tricks, along with great organizing, entertaining ideas and easy recipes
Annie saw something else entirely. Her vision is Retro Shiny and Bright: Kelly green, cobalt blue, hot pink, lime, soft blue, and pink. She envisions hand-painted floral ornaments mixed with vintage shiny bright ornaments, strings of dried orange slices, and tinsel hanging from the branches. Her mantle will probably be draped with greenery with colorful accessories and a fun colorful piece of art on her Frame TV.
And you know what? Those Kelly greens and cobalt blues pick right up on the sofa and the rug, and the pinks and lime green make it playful. Perfect for a young family. More importantly, it is her home and her family, and I love everything she does.
Since they are starting from scratch, here is how we are approaching it:
- Decide on a color palette: It makes every shopping decision easier.
- Keep it budget friendly: DIY what you can and add a few special pieces each year
- Keepsakes: (Shh – this one is a secret) I’m going to make new stockings* for their new theme
- Leave room to grow: A collection is built over years, not in one shopping trip. This is the secret to eventually having the most beautiful, curated Christmas tree.
* I gave Annie custom stockings when Harrison was born, made by a dear friend, and they are not going anywhere. They will be their classic set, and this year’s will be their retro set. That is the beauty of starting over: you get to collect your way into Christmas.
FAQs
How many firecracker lights do you need for a 9 ft Christmas tree?
We used 325 feet, 6,500 LED lights, wrapping every branch down and back up. If you wrap more loosely, plan on less, but it is better to have more than not enough.
Should you buy an unlit or pre-lit tree?
Pre-lit is convenient. Unlit gives you freedom to choose your lights, change them over the years, and use specialty lights, like firecracker lights. It’s also a less expensive option. Two good reasons to buy unlit.
Is a King of Christmas tree easy to set up?
Absolutely. Ours went from box to assembled in about 5 minutes. If you can watch this YouTube video to see me set up a pre-lit King of Christmas tree all by myself.
Can a 9 ft tree work in an apartment?
A 9 ft tree will only work if you have higher than normal ceilings. An average ceiling height in a home or apartment is 8 ft. Just to be sure, measure your height and make sure you have enough room for the tree, a tree topper, and a little breathing room above that.
Coming Soon: Decorating the Tree
The tree is up, it is fluffed, and it is glowing. Next we will be sharing how we decorate this beauty. Retro ornaments, orange slice garland, tinsel, new stockings, and more. We can’t wait to show you.
Peace and Love,
A great way to save this idea is to add it to one of your Pinterest boards. You can find the pin button on the top left of the photo when you click on it. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Meet Me
My name is Lynn. I live in the suburbs of Chicago in a 1,300 sq. ft. home with my Handy husband, Keith.
I’m an open book about my life on my blog. You can find out more about me by visiting my “About Me” page.
Featured
kingofchristmas, #gifted #kingofchristmaspartner