How to Make a Christmas Tree in Your Yard From a Pole and Lights

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Things You'll Need

  • Metal coat hanger

  • Duct tape

  • Shovel

  • Pole, 10 feet tall

  • Cement

  • Flexible PVC pipe, 3/4-inch thick and 20 feet long

  • PVC pipe connector

  • U-shaped metal anchors

  • Mini Christmas lights, totaling about 400 feet of strings

  • Zip ties

  • Stepladder

  • Electrical tape

If you don't have a real tree in your yard, you can create your own out of a pole and lights as part of your outdoor Christmas display. The height of the tree depends on the materials you use; it can be anywhere from a tiny tree just a few feet tall to a "megatree" measuring 20 feet tall or more. A 10-foot tree is an ideal height for your first project because it stands out in the yard but is not as susceptible as a larger tree to wind damage.

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Make Frame

Step 1

Bend a metal coat hanger into a loop about 3 inches in diameter, through which each of your light strings will pass. Duct tape the loop to stand up on the top of the pole.

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Step 2

Dig a hole in the ground, about 18 inches deep and a foot wide, where you'd like to set up the pole for your Christmas tree.

Step 3

Place a wood, galvanized pipe or metal pole in the hole. Mix cement and pour it around the pole. Allow it to dry fully before continuing with the project.

Step 4

Lay the flexible PVC pipe on the ground next to the pole. Bend the pipe into a circle around the pole and attach it to itself with the PVC pipe connector.

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Step 5

Secure the PVC pipe ring to the ground by hammering U-shaped metal anchors over it.

String Lights

Step 1

Secure the plug end of your first string of mini-lights to the PVC pipe ring with a zip tie.

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Step 2

Stand on a stepladder to thread the other end of the light string through the loop at the top of your pole.

Step 3

Secure the other end of the light string with a zip tie to the PVC pipe on the opposite side of the pole.

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Step 4

Plug a second string of lights into the first and wrap the connection with electrical tape.

Step 5

Run the string of lights along the PVC pipe base for about 6 inches and secure it there with another zip tie.

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Step 6

Repeat the process of stringing lights through the top loop and attaching them on the other side of the tree. After you've plugged in your third string of mini-lights, cover the end of that string with electrical tape and don't plug any more strings into it. Start your next string from the base of the tree.

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Step 7

Plug the lights into extension cords and cover the connections with electrical tape. Plug the extension cords into your outlet to turn the lights on.

Tip

The number of strings of lights you'll need depends on how long each string is. The length varies by brand. Divide the length of your light string by 400 to find out approximately how many strings of that type you need.

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