How to Hang Holiday Lights on Trees Without Hurting Them

In This Article

• Which Branches Can Hold Lights
• What to Use to Attach the Lights
• How to Avoid Pinch Points on Branches
• Choosing Lights and Cords for Outdoor Use
• When to Hang the Lights and When to Take Them Down
• When to Have an Arborist Look First
• Common Questions About Holiday Lights on Trees

You can put lights on a tree without hurting it. Pick strong branches, keep the bark unmarked, attach the lights with soft ties you can cut off later, and take everything down right after the holidays. The biggest risk is what gets left on the tree once the season is over. Here is how to do it well, from the team at A Perfect Cut Tree Service in New Orleans.

Which Branches Can Hold Lights

Choose branches at least 1 inch thick. News 12 New York’s December 2025 garden guide, built on advice from a Davey Tree arborist, says to “select branches that are at least 1 inch in diameter.” That means sturdy limbs, not thin twigs. Look each branch over before you start, and skip any that look dead or damaged.

The same guide points out that “not every branch needs to be wrapped in lights.” A few well-placed strands often look better than a tree covered end to end, and every strand you skip is one less thing to remove in January. Even limbs that look healthy can give way, as our guide on why large limbs fail explains.

What to Use to Attach the Lights

Soft ties are the safer choice. The Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic suggests strips of dark T-shirt fabric instead of plastic cable ties or wire twist ties, and warns that it is important “not to nick or cut the bark when hanging lights.”

Soft fabric can be cut and pulled away without scraping the tree. Wire and plastic ties are the items most likely to be forgotten and left behind.

How to Avoid Pinch Points on Branches

Keep the wires from crossing. The News 12 guide explains that crossed wires “can put unnecessary pressure on your tree’s branches.” Run each strand along a branch in one direction, and leave enough slack that the tree can move in the wind.

Choosing Lights and Cords for Outdoor Use

Use lights, cords and timers that are “UL-listed and rated for outdoor use,” as the Morton Arboretum advises. The arboretum also cautions against overloading the outdoor electrical circuit, so check the limit on the packaging before you connect another strand.

When to Hang the Lights and When to Take Them Down

Hang them on a warm day if you can. The Morton Arboretum notes that “cold makes wood brittle,” which makes branches easier to break while you work.

Plan the removal before you hang anything. The Morton Arboretum takes its own lights down right after the holidays, and the News 12 guide says not to wait until winter is over. North Dakota State University Extension is blunt about the risk: “Items that encircle the stem or a branch, and are not removed, will eventually girdle trees.” The page’s author also describes finding a twist tie from old Christmas lights that was starting to dig into a stem.

Girdling means something encircles the stem or a branch and restricts the tree as it grows. A tie that fits loosely when it goes on can end up cutting in once the tree has grown.

When to Have an Arborist Look First

If the branches you want to light are out of safe reach from the ground, or the tree has dead limbs, cracks or leaning growth, have a professional look at it before anyone climbs a ladder. A tree that is already stressed or hazardous is not the place to add weight and wiring. Our list of red flags that mark a hazardous tree shows what to watch for.

If you find old lights, wire or straps already on a tree, remove what you can reach by cutting it away from the bark. When something has sunk into the stem or sits high in the canopy, an arborist can take it off without harming the tree. A Perfect Cut Tree Service offers tree trimming and hazardous tree assessment in the New Orleans area, and you can see the rest of our work on the services page. Reach the team on the contact page or at (504) 732-0779.

Common Questions About Holiday Lights on Trees

Is it safe to wrap lights around the trunk?

You rarely need to. The sources above focus on branches that are thick enough to hold the lights and on keeping the bark unmarked. If you do wrap anything, use soft ties and plan to remove every one of them after the holidays.

Can I leave lights on a tree all year?

No. The Morton Arboretum takes its lights down right after the holidays, and North Dakota State University Extension warns that anything left around a stem or branch can eventually girdle the tree. Plan to take yours down soon after the season ends, and cut the ties away instead of pulling them off the bark.

What if I already have lights stuck on my tree?

Check the stems and branches for wire, ties and straps, and cut away anything you can reach. Do not pull hard on anything that has sunk into the bark. If it has grown into the bark or you cannot reach it safely, ask an arborist to help.

For winter care beyond the lights, see our guides on caring for trees during dormancy and the essential winter tree care guide for New Orleans yards.