Everything is worked out in your browser and saved on this device for next time.
About the Christmas tree calculator
Before you buy a tree, it helps to know two things: how tall it can be, and how much to put on it. This calculator answers both.
From your ceiling height it shows the tallest tree for your ceiling. It leaves about 1 ft (30 cm) free for the stand and the star. Then it works out:
- How many lights and strands of 100 lights
- How many ornaments
- How much garland or ribbon
- The width at the bottom, about
- The tree skirt size
Already have a tree? Type its height, and the tool works out the decorations for that tree and warns you if it is too tall.
Features
- Tallest tree for your ceiling — it leaves about 1 ft (30 cm) for the stand and the star
- Shopping list — lights, strands of 100 lights, ornaments and garland or ribbon
- Tree size — the width at the bottom and the tree skirt size
- Your own tree — type its height in Tree height (if you have one), and it warns you if the tree is too tall
- Three looks — Simple and calm, Classic or Full and bright
- Feet or metres — switch between ft, sq ft and m, m²
- Copy — copy the list for shopping
- Private — it works in your browser, nothing is uploaded, and your settings are saved on this device
How to use it
- Choose ft, sq ft or m, m² at the top
- Type your Ceiling height
- If you already have a tree, type it in Tree height (if you have one)
- Pick The look you want: Simple and calm, Classic or Full and bright
- Press Copy to copy the list for shopping, or Start again to clear it
Example: an 8 ft ceiling
The tool opens with an 8 ft ceiling and the Classic look.
- The tallest tree for your ceiling: 7 ft
- Lights: 700 (7 strands of 100 lights)
- Ornaments: 85
- Garland or ribbon: 26 ft
- Width at the bottom: about 4 ft
- Tree skirt size: 5 ft
Rules of thumb used
For each foot of tree:
| The look you want | Lights | Ornaments | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple and calm | 50 | 8 | 2 × the tree height |
| Classic | 100 | 12 | 2.5 × the tree height |
| Full and bright | 150 | 20 | 3 × the tree height |
The garland length then gets 50 % extra for the loops. The width at the bottom is about 60 % of the height, and the skirt is 1 ft wider than that.
A 7 ft tree in each look
| Look | Lights | Strands | Ornaments | Garland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple and calm | 350 | 4 | 55 | 21 ft |
| Classic | 700 | 7 | 85 | 26 ft |
| Full and bright | 1,050 | 11 | 140 | 32 ft |
Classic look by tree height
| Tree height | Lights | Ornaments | Garland | Tree skirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | 400 | 50 | 15 ft | 3 ft |
| 5 ft | 500 | 60 | 19 ft | 4 ft |
| 6 ft | 600 | 70 | 23 ft | 5 ft |
| 7.5 ft | 750 | 90 | 28 ft | 5 ft |
| 9 ft | 900 | 110 | 34 ft | 6 ft |
Frequently asked questions
What size Christmas tree do I need for my ceiling?
Take your ceiling height and subtract about 1 ft for the stand and the star. For an 8 ft ceiling that is a 7 ft tree, for a 9 ft ceiling an 8 ft tree.
How many lights do I need for a Christmas tree?
About 100 lights per foot of tree for a classic look. A 7 ft tree needs about 700 lights. Use 50 per foot for a soft look and 150 for a very bright one.
How many ornaments for a 7 ft tree?
About 85 for a classic look, or up to 140 for a full look. Small trees need fewer: about 60 for a 5 ft tree.
How much garland do I need?
About 2.5 times the tree height, plus some extra for the loops. For a 7 ft tree that is about 26 ft.
What size tree skirt should I buy?
A little wider than the bottom of the tree. For a 7 ft tree, which is about 4 ft wide, a 5 ft skirt works well.
Are these numbers exact?
No. They are rules of thumb used by decorators. Big ornaments cover more space, so you need fewer of them. Trust your eyes in the end.
Good to know
- Everything is worked out in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere
- Your settings are saved on this device for next time
- Measure the ceiling where the tree will stand — some rooms slope
- Leave space around the tree for gifts and to walk past
Related tools
- Christmas Countdown — days left until Christmas
- Secret Santa Generator — draw names for gifts
- Turkey Calculator — turkey size and cooking time
- Electricity Cost Calculator — what the lights cost to run
- Budget Calculator — plan your holiday spending
