Christmas Lights & Garland Calculator
Stop guessing. Get the exact number of lights for your tree and garland for your staircase, based on real measurements.
Slim = sparse branches. Normal = typical store-bought. Full = dense, maximalist.
How does the calculation work?
The formula is based on the widely-used decorating industry standard:
- Slim tree: 100 lights per foot of height
- Normal tree: 150 lights per foot of height
- Full & lush tree: 200 lights per foot of height
Wattage uses 0.4 W per light (the average for modern LED mini-lights). A standard household circuit safely handles 1,400 W (80% of 15 A × 120 V = 1,440 W).
Strand count rounds up to the nearest whole strand of 100 lights.
Draped = loose festoon swags between posts. Wrapped = coiled around each banister post.
How does the calculation work?
These formulas are based on standard staircase decorating guidelines:
- Draped & swaged: 1.5 ft of garland per step (accounts for the swag depth between posts)
- Tightly wrapped: 1.0 ft per step (garland runs directly along the railing)
Zip ties use 2 per step, plus 1 at the top and bottom. Bows are suggested at every other step plus the newel posts (roughly every 2 steps).
Add 10% extra when buying garland, since retail lengths vary and it is better to have a little left over.