When installing twinkle lights, remember that the best twinkles are natural and come from the light being blocked from view for a quick moment.
Concretely, this means that you should tuck your lights into bushes or Christmas trees or whatever (rather than onto), both to give more of a glow (as the lights illuminate the inner parts of the tree), and to increase the twinkles (if that's what you're into). Similarly, if you have a curtain of lights, you can put a sheer curtain in front, and the more layers/gathers, the stronger the effect of both glow and twinkle.
The opposite looks like this:
While we’re here, I have two Christmas Tree tips:
- The best Christmas tree stand is the Krinner Tree Genie XXL
- In the US, you can harvest your own tree from the national forest!
Krinner - Tree Genie Small - Single Cable Operation, Foot Press Easy Setup, Up to 6 Feet Live Trees - Christmas Tree Stand, Green
Buy Krinner - Tree Genie Small - Single Cable Operation, Foot Press Easy Setup, Up to 6 Feet Live Trees - Christmas Tree Stand, Green: Tree Stands - Amazon.com âś“ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
amzn.to
It just works — no fiddling, no loose parts, it just firmly holds the tree exactly how you want it.
(I see that in 2024 they added an “XXL Deluxe” which is probably also great)
See also my tips on Programmable lighting (I use Christmas lights from Twinkly as part of my everyday decor, but you must be intentional about choosing lights that will give you a nice warm white).
P.S. Even if you don’t think you’re very interested in Christmas Lights, you should probably at least watch the beginning of this video:
The Best Vintage-Style LED Christmas Lights | Tru-Tone™ Light Bulbs
Superior LED Christmas lights with the same bright, warm glow as vintage incandescent! Nostalgic, retro charm in C7 & C9 & S14 bulb sizes and a variety of classic colors and styles.
tru-tone.com
Merry Co. | Vintaglo Vintage Style LED Christmas Lights & SnoFlock
Vintaglo Vintage style Christmas lights that look just like Classic Incandescent sets! SnoFlock, The DIY premium self-adhesive snow flocking powder for Christmas trees.
merryco.com
We got these color shifting glass ball ornaments a few years ago on a post-Christmas closeout while window shopping, and everyone admires them. I recommend getting two boxes upfront: they’re large enough balls that for tree placement you’ll need a larger tree that then requires more coverage, and they’re also nice flanking an entryway. Google “Kurt Adler UL1911” to look for deals.