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Following is a guide on how to create a Christmas tree circuit ornament. We started out using construction paper for the tree but that wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t sturdy enough. I found some cheap foam Christmas tree shapes at Michaels craft store for 50% off so I couldn’t pass that up. These were perfect and much more stable.

Supplies Used

  • Foam Tree
  • 3 LEDs
  • Battery Pack
  • Two 3v Cell Coin Batteries (inside battery pack)
  • Copper Tape
  • Aluminum Tape
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Ornament Hook
  • Stickers

Following is what the circuit built out looks like. We used a parallel circuit design.

parallel circuit christmas tree

The parallel circuit was made with the 2 copper tape strips. We also placed 3 smaller copper tape strips extending from the parallel strips over to the LEDs so the LED legs could connect. The LED legs are taped down on top of the copper tape with aluminum tape. We used aluminum tape because it is a little heavier, stickier and sturdier than the copper tape so works better for keeping the legs taped down.

You may have noticed the black + on the left and the black – on the right. The long legs on the LED lights need to be placed on the + side of the circuit and the short legs of the LED needs to be placed on the – side of the circuit. The red wire from the battery pack needs to be placed on the + side and the black wire needs to be placed on the – side. Make sure and have the silver exposed part of the wiring touching the copper tape.

Step-By-Step Guide

  1. Punch holes in your tree where you want the LEDs to go (I pre-punched these).
  2. Create the parallel circuit with all of the copper tape.
  3. Add the short copper pieces from the parallel circuit extending to the holes where the LEDs will be.
  4. Attach the battery pack to the tree with double sided tape (I have the batteries already in the pack with the tape on the back).
  5. Tape down the red wire to the + side of the copper tape circuit with aluminum tape.
  6. Tape down the black wire to the – side of the copper tape circuit with aluminum tape.
  7. Place one of the LED heads through the top punched hole. Tape down the long leg to the extended copper tape piece on the + side of the circuit with aluminum tape and tape down the short leg to the – side with aluminum tape. I colored the long legs with a black sharpie so it’s easier to tell which is which when installing them.
  8. Test to see if it work before adding the remaining LEDs. The battery pack has a small switch on the bottom. Turn this on. If the LED turns on, your circuit is working.
  9. Now attach the other 2 LEDs through the other 2 holes like you did in step 7.
  10. If everything is attached correctly all 3 LEDs should be on.
  11. Lastly, decorate the tree with your pipe cleaners for garland and the stickers for ornaments, etc.

Finished Christmas Tree Circuit Ornament

paper circuit christmas tree

For those reading this who want to make their own Christmas Tree Circuit, following is where you can get the supplies