Wrap them around a cardboard egg carton.

The type for 2.5 dozen eggs works even better

I just took that picture. It has 3 strands of 100 lights apiece rolled around it.

Wrap them around a cardboard egg carton.

The type for 2.5 dozen eggs works even better

I just took that picture. It has 3 strands of 100 lights apiece rolled around it. I then put the carton inside a cardboard box for storage.