8 Hacks to planning your Home’s Christmas Light Display

The Christmas holiday is probably one of the most popular times to decorate the home and add lights to the outside of the house. You might be like some who only want to add a few strings around the windows to simply show your enjoyment of the holiday season, or you might want to be like larger households, taking light displays to a whole new level.

1. Make LED lights your friend when it comes to decorating for Christmas. The lights come in various shapes and sizes. One of the things that you will notice about LED lights is that they are more expensive, but they do last longer compared to the less expensive sets that seem to go out after one season. The lights are also a bit brighter, which can bring a more Christmas cheer to the home.

2. Before you get any lights, take measurements twice at least so that you know how many you will need. This will prevent connecting several strings of smaller lights together as there are some sets that have 2-300 instead of just 100 or fewer. Measuring will also ensure that you don’t spend extra money on lights that you don’t need.

3. When you hang your lights on banisters or around the window, use hooks instead of nails. Some people use nails to hold the cords in place, but this poses the possibility of puncturing the wire. If the wire is punctured, then it increases the risk of a short in the set and a potential for a fire. Hooks can be placed almost anywhere, and you can easily wrap the lights around them so that they stay in place, creating beautiful designs on the porch, the front of the home and in other areas of the house.

4. If you plan on being gone during the holiday season, consider setting a timer for the light display. This will help to prevent someone from trying to break into the home as everyone will think that you are still home when the lights come on in the evening. It also helps to save on the electric bill as the lights are only on for a short time. Another idea is to use a timing device so that the lights blink or so that they come on and off while music is playing. This takes a bit of coordination, but there are computer programs that can help you sync the lights to festive music.

5. Don’t go overboard with the light display. While you might want to win the best decorated home of the year, it doesn’t require a lot of lights on the outside of the home. “Add a few strands around the windows or on the roof with a few other decorations for a look that has a higher quality instead of a look that is cluttered,” WowLights Production.

6. One or two colors of lights might be best if you want a simple design. White and red work well together, and you can use the lights in a candy cane theme. However, if you’re looking for a lot of shimmer, especially against a white or beige home, then multi-colored lights would work.

7. Plan ahead when it comes to the design so that you know exactly where you want to hang the lights for the display. You don’t want to get outside without knowing where you’re going to hang the lights as it might create confusion and a look that is haphazard instead of festive.

8. Solar-powered lights are ideal if you don’t want to use electricity. They are bright, and you can get them in various lengths. Sometimes, these lights are larger in size, which can make them seem brighter than usual. This can give a beautiful glow to the outside of the home, especially if there is fresh snow on the ground.