Okay, I have to tell you — this might be my favorite tree I’ve ever put up. There’s something about colored lights that takes me straight back to childhood, and this year I leaned all the way into that cozy, nostalgic feeling. It brings me back to those days of waking up with my siblings at 4am on Christmas morning, just to race each other downstairs and get first looks at that magical tree.
If you loved our vintage-inspired tinsel tree from last year, this one is its colorful little sister. Same warm, old-fashioned vibe just with a rainbow glow.
So if you’ve been wondering how to pull off a Christmas tree with colored lights without it feeling like too much, grab a cup of cocoa and let me show you exactly how I did it!
STAR TOPPER| COLORED LIGHTS| WHITE LIGHTS| TINSEL| ARTIFICIAL TREE| BASKET| COLORED ORNAMENTS| STOCKINGS
Why I Love Colored Lights on a Christmas Tree
For years I was a white-lights-only girl. They’re classic, they’re pretty, I get it! But somewhere along the way I started missing the multicolored Christmas tree I grew up with. That slightly retro, candy-colored glow that just feels like Christmas morning.
Colored lights on a Christmas tree don’t take themselves too seriously, and honestly? That’s exactly the mood I want in December.
The trick I’ve learned is making them feel intentional instead of chaotic. And that starts with how you mix your lights.
Mixing White and Colored Lights
Here’s my favorite little secret: don’t use only colored lights. You’ll layer them in.
Start with warm white lights as the base to give the whole tree a soft, glowy foundation. Then add a strand of colored lights on top. The white lights keep everything feeling cozy and grown-up, while the colored ones make it read warm and vintage.
This mix is what keeps a colorful tree from tipping into “kindergarten classroom” territory (no offense to kindergarteners!).
The Details
A good rule of thumb is about 100 lights per foot of tree, split between your white and colored strands. For our tree that meant roughly two-thirds warm white and one-third colored.
Start at the trunk and work outward, tucking lights deep into the branches and then back out to the tips. It takes a little patience, but that depth is the difference between a flat tree and a magical one!
My Favorite Lights
Colorful Ornaments for a Christmas Tree with Colored Lights
Once the lights are on, the ornaments are where the whole look comes together. For a Christmas tree with colored lights, I love leaning into colored glass bulbs that pick up the glow. Mine are a mix of mustard yellow, sage green, teal, pink, and copper. Think sort of a muted, vintage rainbow.
You can add some more fun with things like vintage acorn and pinecone ornaments too, just to keep that old-fashioned, brought-down-from-the-attic feeling. Those little nature-y touches are everything!
COLORED ORNAMENTS| VINTAGE ACORN ORNAMENTS| GLASS BULBS| TINSEL
Putting the Tree in a Basket
Can we talk about the basket for a second? Instead of a traditional stand or collar, I set our tree right inside a big woven seagrass basket and it instantly makes the whole thing feel cozier and more collected.
I have a full walkthrough on how to put a christmas tree in a basket if you want the step-by-step, and I rounded up a bunch of my favorite large baskets there too.
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Tip for Keeping the tree stable
The key here is a basket with a sturdy, flat bottom and enough room for your stand to sit inside it. You’ll fill in any gaps around the base, then tuck a tree skirt or some fabric over the top so all you see is basket and branches. Solid as can be!
Vintage Christmas Decor Around the Tree
A tree never lives alone, right? Half the magic is the little world you build around it.
On the console nearby I styled a sweet vintage vignette — a vintage Santa mug, a few gold bottle-brush trees, and the metal touches my heart absolutely melts over. A row of white ceramic village houses adds that storybook, snow-globe feeling.
The sparrow wallpaper behind it all (it’s from Lulu & Georgia!) and a cozy jute striped rug underfoot help to keep things feeling warm and lived-in. And our mustard gingham stockings hang nearby, tying all those colors together.Just through the doorway you can catch the garland in the kitchen with its little star string lights – because why stop the twinkle at one room?
Tips for Decorating a Christmas Tree with Colored Lights
If you’re ready to try a colorful tree of your own, here are my quick takeaways.
- Layer warm white + colored lights. The white softens everything and keeps it feeling grown-up.
- Go light on the color. About one-third colored to two-thirds white is a good sweet spot.
- Pick a vintage-leaning palette. Muted mustard, sage, teal, pink, and copper read nostalgic instead of neon.
- Add old-fashioned touches. Acorn ornaments, brass touches, and a woven basket do a lot of heavy lifting.
- Tuck lights deep. Depth to the trunk is what makes a tree glow from the inside, instead of looking flat.
And there’s your Christmas tree with colored lights! Oh so cozy cozy, a little retro, and full of that nostalgic Christmas feeling I’ve been craving. Cheers to making a magical tree worth waking up at 4am… (maybe). Merry, merry and happy decorating!
Let’s get nostalgic : what’s your favorite Christmas tree memory?