Christmas light guys (1 Viewer)

[glvsav37]

How do you wrap a whole tree with lights? Do you use wire or ties to attach it to the branches? I like when it follows the branches as opposed to draping it. 
  
Also I can get about 1/2 way up but how do you get up to the top branches? 
 

eta: the tree I want to do is about 15 ft talk with a decent amount of branches. It’s a magnolia tree

 

[East Coast Bias]

Check the upgrade thread and pay for it.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

 I can get about 1/2 way up but how do you get up to the top branches? 
 

eta: the tree I want to do is about 15 ft talk with a decent amount of branches. It’s a magnolia tree

I would rent a cherry picker.

 

[Galileo]

How do you wrap a whole tree with lights? Do you use wire or ties to attach it to the branches? I like when it follows the branches as opposed to draping it. 
  
Also I can get about 1/2 way up but how do you get up to the top branches? 
 

eta: the tree I want to do is about 15 ft talk with a decent amount of branches. It’s a magnolia tree

Stand on top of a ten foot ladder and you're good to go.  HTH

 

[NutterButter]

How do you wrap a whole tree with lights? Do you use wire or ties to attach it to the branches? I like when it follows the branches as opposed to draping it. 
  
Also I can get about 1/2 way up but how do you get up to the top branches? 
 

eta: the tree I want to do is about 15 ft talk with a decent amount of branches. It’s a magnolia tree

From what I've been seeing, most - including the pros - don't.   It looks ok if you go up reasonably high on the bigger branches but some just look half ###.

 

[NutterButter]

I would rent a cherry picker.

Probably be cost effective over the long run to just buy one.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Probably be cost effective over the long run to just buy one.

I could see setting in up in the middle of my yard as a sentry post to keep an eye on my neighbors.

 

[NutterButter]

I could see setting in up in the middle of my yard as a sentry post to keep an eye on my neighbors.

  Just hang out up there while they're having their family bbq

 

[grateful zed]

lay the tree on its side.

 

[leftcoastguy7]

How do you wrap a whole tree with lights? Do you use wire or ties to attach it to the branches? 

Use zip ties.

Easy to attach and easy to cut off in January. 

 

[Otis]

We live on probably the most prominent residential street in our town.   A couple blocks over from us starts a series of two blocks on which many homes do insane lighting on the trees out front.  These are 15-20 foot trees, maybe bigger, and someone started a trend that caught on where they wrap the tree tight with as many white lights as they can, the whole trunk, and out to many of the main branches.  No way do these homeowners do it -- these are big bucks homes -- and I've heard from the people who do our lights that a job like that costs like, literally, $5k.  Which seems obscene to me to spend each year to decorate your home.  That said, the street looks magical.  We always wonder as the peer pressure mounts and more and more homes on that block do it.  I've considered trying it myself but it has to be tens of strands of white lights, and must be at least a full day of my time, including on a very tall ladder.  Thought probably this happens with a cherry picker.

I will try and take a couple of photos and post.

 

[shuke]

How do you wrap a whole tree with lights?
  

Walk around it.

Do you use wire or ties to attach it to the branches?

No, just lay them on branches.

Also I can get about 1/2 way up but how do you get up to the top branches?

Ladder

 

[EYLive]

Not to hijack, but I'm starting to think those LED laser projected design things may be there way to go moving forward. No more ladders, wires, setup/takedown headaches. Just stick a few of the fancy little lights in the lawn and forget it.

 

[Otis]

Not to hijack, but I'm starting to think those LED laser projected design things may be there way to go moving forward. No more ladders, wires, setup/takedown headaches. Just stick a few of the fancy little lights in the lawn and forget it.

Classy

 

[snellman]

Not to hijack, but I'm starting to think those LED laser projected design things may be there way to go moving forward. No more ladders, wires, setup/takedown headaches. Just stick a few of the fancy little lights in the lawn and forget it.

As much as I hate putting up lights, I would have to disagree.  We went by a couple houses last night with them and I made the comment to the wife that those lights look pretty redneck and lazy.

 

[BobbyLayne]

We live on probably the most prominent residential street in our town.   A couple blocks over from us starts a series of two blocks on which many homes do insane lighting on the trees out front.  These are 15-20 foot trees, maybe bigger, and someone started a trend that caught on where they wrap the tree tight with as many white lights as they can, the whole trunk, and out to many of the main branches.  No way do these homeowners do it -- these are big bucks homes -- and I've heard from the people who do our lights that a job like that costs like, literally, $5k.  Which seems obscene to me to spend each year to decorate your home.  That said, the street looks magical.  We always wonder as the peer pressure mounts and more and more homes on that block do it.  I've considered trying it myself but it has to be tens of strands of white lights, and must be at least a full day of my time, including on a very tall ladder.  Thought probably this happens with a cherry picker.

I will try and take a couple of photos and post.

Guaranteed to be at your house within 48 hours

 

[The Commish]

I just staple the wire right to the bark with a staple gun. I think it's unnecessary to go all the way up the branches as long as the branches you go up, you go up the same amount of distance.  My wife's pretty OCD and likes the way I wrap our oak tree.  That said, next year, I'll probably use zip ties to staple...hadn't thought about that before, but makes total sense.

 

[cashman88]

In Phoenix, I got 2 quotes to install holiday lights - roofline of house, plus 3 trees 20 feet up: $1,200 and $800

 

[belljr]

I use a ladder and a telescoping pole

 

[DaVinci]

Maybe my neighbor will cut down one of my trees so I could hit him up for $4k to pay someone to decorate the remaining trees. 

 

[Thunderlips]

I use one of those light string guns that shoot the lights up.  

 

[Courtjester]

Not to hijack, but I'm starting to think those LED laser projected design things may be there way to go moving forward. No more ladders, wires, setup/takedown headaches. Just stick a few of the fancy little lights in the lawn and forget it.

Yesterday seemed to be the unofficial light hanging day in my neighborhood (mainly because last weekend was a blizzard). I watched all my neighbors out there for hours on their ladders hanging lights and inflating all these huge things. I waiting until about dark, walked out with a beer in my hand and planted three of the LED projectors in the ground. Took five minutes. Came back out when it was completely dark and adjusted them. Happy Holidays!! 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

In Phoenix, I got 2 quotes to install holiday lights - roofline of house, plus 3 trees 20 feet up: $1,200 and $800

A thousand bucks to install Christmas lights. I just hope I never catch any of you complaining about not ever having enough money.

 

[EYLive]

As much as I hate putting up lights, I would have to disagree.  We went by a couple houses last night with them and I made the comment to the wife that those lights look pretty redneck and lazy.

Oh they're 100% lazy, but the houses in my neighborhood average $1.5MM so nothing looks redneck here.

 

[belljr]

Yesterday seemed to be the unofficial light hanging day in my neighborhood (mainly because last weekend was a blizzard). I watched all my neighbors out there for hours on their ladders hanging lights and inflating all these huge things. I waiting until about dark, walked out with a beer in my hand and planted three of the LED projectors in the ground. Took five minutes. Came back out when it was completely dark and adjusted them. Happy Holidays!! 

We do these but with lights on the bushes.  I stopped doing roof and tree lights so these our our compliment our bushes and door - frankly I hate doing it at all

 

[arrow1]

top branches: drone