It’s that time of the year again. The in-laws, the food, the gifts, and of course, your spectacular Christmas light show! Take a peek at these simple lighting tricks before your imagination begins whirling with dreams of that blue ribbon for ” best neighborhood lights”. We’ll teach you how to put up Christmas lights and make your home perfect for your Holiday activities.

Make a Design Plan

The desire to decorate for the holidays can hit suddenly and without notice. It’s best to take a step back and prepare an overall game plan before you begin. Avoid the temptation to “wing it”.

Choose a Focal Point

For example, if your foyer is framed by columns, this may be a good place to start. Your house will look like someone blasted lights from a cannon all over your lawn if you don’t have a focal point.

Consider the Surface

To identify the best way to place lights along the roofline, measure the thickness of your gutters and the flexibility of your shingles.

The following are some popular locations for outdoor Christmas lights:

Measurements

Measure any straight line you want to light up. This will assist you in determining how many strands you require. Also, take note of the distance between you and your power source. Nobody wants a lovely light show that can’t be turned on.

Christmas Lights

The number of lights you’ll need to ornament your trees and bushes is entirely up to you. A reasonable rule of thumb is to use 100 lights to cover every 11/2 feet of tree or bush. For a basic amount of lighting, a 6-foot evergreen requires at least 400 bulbs.

If you want your house to be visible from space, however, stagger two sets of lights side by side or seek for lights that are closer together. Brighter lights can be obtained by installing them in a dense pattern.

Get Your Lights Ready

Safety Precautions

First and foremost, utilize only UL-approved extension cords meant for outside usage, and search for lights that are rated for both indoor and outdoor use. Check the Christmas lights packaging for more information, including the length of the lights and how many strands to join.

Examine Your Lights

Cords that are frayed or damaged can be dangerous and should not be used. One bad strand can wreck your entire design in addition to being a safety concern.

Colors

White lights, believe it or not, are not all the same color. Incandescent bulbs have a faint orange hue, but LED lights have a blueish tinge. If you hang them next to each other, they’ll appear to be mismatched. Lights can even differ in appearance depending on the brand and how old they are. Purchase new light to make things easier for yourself.

Clips for Lights

Forget about using staples, clothespins, or any other device to attach lights to your home. Your new best friend is light clips. These can be used on gutters, shingles, among other surfaces. Simply study the packet to select the one that is appropriate for your needs.

Types of Lights

Have fun with the various light types and colors that are available. Just make sure the lights are of the same type. Use white lights on your bushes but colored lights on your trees and entryway, for example. White icicle lights along your roofline complete the look.

You will save money on energy expenditure with LED lights, and you will not have to worry about them overheating.

Icicle lights look beautiful hanging from your roof‘s eaves; just make sure they’re grouped together. The appearance is utterly lost when extended too far apart.

Try net lights, which are similar to a blanket of lights, for your shrubs. Simply place them among your bushes, and you’re finished!

Finally, use a timer to eliminate the guessing of when to switch the lights on and off.

How to Begin

Decide what you are going to work on first and gather everything you will need before hanging outdoor Christmas lights. Having a helper will come in handy in this situation. Begin with the bushes, then the tree, any windows, doorways, and then the roofline.

Step 1: Light Testing

Even if your lights are brand new, they must be tested on the ground. On top of a ladder in the cold is the last place you want to find out your lights are broken. Attach your light clips now, making sure they’re all facing the same way.

Step 2: Roof and Siding Lights

Use an all-purpose light clip to attach lights to your gutters. It can be used with any kind of light. hang the lights up or down as long as they’re all pointed in the same direction. If you don’t have gutters, you can connect lights to your shingles with the same clip. Simply turn the clip over.

Step 3: Tree Lights

Use a light-hanging pole if you’re hanging lights in a tree. If you don’t want to climb a ladder, hanging poles are an excellent alternative.

Step 4: Railing Lights

Deck clips can be used to mount lights to the railings of your front porch or deck.

Step 5: Invest in a Timer

Who wants to find out in the middle of the night that the Christmas lights have been turned on all night? Connect the lights to an outdoor timer now that they’re up. Some timers even include cutting-edge technology that includes light sensors that switch on automatically at dusk.

Step 6: Admire Your Hard Work!

Take a step back and admire what you’ve accomplished Grab a cutout cookie and cup of hot chocolate – you worked hard for it!