It depends on your personal preferences, but a good rule of thumb is around 600-800 lights. If you want a bright, colorful display, you can go up to 1000 lights, but if you prefer a more subtle, elegant look, then 400-500 lights should suffice. It also depends on the size of your tree - a 6-foot tree would look great with 600-800 lights, but a larger tree might need more or less depending on your preferences.