Poor Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree in my family room is sick.  Maybe H1N1?  Last night I noticed that there was a 6 inch band around the middle of the tree where there were no lights.  I didn't like it, but I figured I could put up with it.  Then today, the infection had spread to a band about a foot wide.  This afternoon, the very top of the tree had lost its lights.  By early evening, the band around the middle had become about 18 inches wide.  It's so sad looking.  I guess I'll have to do some light replacement therapy.  (Sorry the picture's so bad; photography isn't one of my strengths.)

I knew when I decorated this tree that this would probably be the last year for these lights.  They're really unusual.  The tip of the light is red and the bottom is white, not clear, white.  It's the softest light, and different from any I've ever seen.  Two of the sets wouldn't light this year, and when I tried to test the lights in a set that was working, none of the lights I checked would work.  Is it possible that all the lights just burned out at once? 
But that brings us to the next problem.  By this time in December, there are hardly any light sets available.  We finally found some clear with white wires, and I figured that I could switch some out with red ones that I have that are on green wires.  Unfortunately, the lights from all my red sets don't fit the new ones.  I can't seem to win with this.  So, tomorrow, I'll check just one more place, then do some redecorating.  Just one more small item on my lengthy to do list.