From: pamela4848@juno.com

Lighting Tricks for Your Tree 

MATERIALS CHECKLIST:

The number of lights needed to decorate your
tree will depend on the size of the tree. 

The numbers below are a guideline for moderate
coverage and are based on using 100-light strands:

  Tree Size: 9'         # of Strands: 15
  Tree Size: 7-1/2'  # of Strands: 12
  Tree Size: 4'        # of Strands: 7


TOOLS: 

  Christmas Tree (your choice of size) 
  Extension Cord(s) (if needed)  Should be no more than 4 
  strands per cord. Can use a computer extension box under 
  the tree (get one with an overload reset button for more safety.
  For the larger trees, use two or more extension boxes.

HERE'S HOW . . . 

1.  If you place the tree against a wall, you may adjust your 
quantities to put more lights on the front and fewer on the back.

2.  When purchasing lights, make sure that all the strands 
you buy are compatible and that the wattages are the same. 
Light strands come in 100-light strands and 50-light strands. 
Either count will do the job.

3. Before you begin, plug in each light strand to make sure all 
the lights work. Keep the lights plugged in as you work so you 
can see the effect.

4.  As a safety precaution, don't string together more than 
three strands of lights. Use extension cords that are long 
enough to reach the plug. Also, don't plug more than 
two extension cords together.

5.  To hang the lights, start at the top of the tree and
 work your way down. Weave strands of lights in and out of 
the tree as well as around it, stringing them in toward the 
trunk and out to the branch tips to create depth. Step back 
from the tree occasionally as you string the lights so that
you can see any blank spots. It's much easier to fill as you go, 
than to have to redo the lights at the end. 

Courtesy of Michaels MJ Designs