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Multiple strings of same-toned lights and inconspicuous hooks or tiny tacks bring form to your vision. Knowing how to hang Christmas lights to the best advantage in any situation you might use them is a skill every Christmas decorator should acquire. Our guide has the details on creating displays with an even spread of light through Christmas tree branches, around a window, on a house, and more. Now that you know how to put up your Christmas lights, it’s important to make sure you’re doing it in a safe way. This means using the right type of lights for your situation, being careful when handling them, and making sure they’re properly plugged in and secured.
Test Your Lights Before Hanging
Outlining your eaves and windows and festooning your trees and shrubbery with decorative lights is a sure way to enliven your home for the holidays. But hanging outdoor holiday lights can be a less than cheerful experience, particularly when you’re faced with a teetering ladder and tangles of light strings that don’t work. Unlike decorating your Christmas tree, the best time for hanging Christmas and outdoor holiday lights is before your weather turns wet and cold. Not only is it easier and more comfortable to work outdoors in mild weather, but it is also safer. Safely climbing ladders and working along the eaves of a roof can be a dangerous challenge in bad weather.
Hang Holiday Lights from Gutters
For a well-distributed glow along each bough, secure strands to the branches using two-inch pieces of floral wire. Follow our guide to hanging lights on a Christmas tree for step-by-step instructions. Along the tree Heath protects extension cords with outdoor extension cord covers. To turn all the lights on and off at the right times, he uses a timer.
Attach Lights With Plastic Zip Ties
Lights are an essential element of Christmas decor ideas from indoor Christmas lights for the interior and outdoor Christmas lights for the exterior of the home. Wondering how to hang Christmas lights the right way on your Christmas tree, or around windows? Or not sure of the best way to hang them outside, or in your house? The answers are right here in our guide to hanging Christmas lights – and to inspire you further, we’re sharing a wall light installation from a renowned interior designer. You don't want to be the only Scrooge in the neighborhood whose house doesn't have lights. We suggest buying supplies early so you don't feel rushed, and maybe installing them before it starts to feel like a tundra outside.
How to hang Christmas lights in a tree
"For extra convenience, look for stakes with timers and remote controls." When learning how to hang Christmas lights, it helps to start with a clear decorating plan. Whatever you do, take pride in your boundless holiday spirit and that sparkling Christmas light display you created.
How to Hang Christmas Lights the Right Way - The Pioneer Woman
How to Hang Christmas Lights the Right Way.
Posted: Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Follow the steps below to create Kelly’s design in your home. Make sure you use a good ladder when working at height and have someone to hold it. Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. It’s a great option if you want your display to be interactive and fun for both kids and adults. This trend has only become more accessible as technology has improved.
Create a Master Plan
Follow these tips, and you'll be sipping eggnog and staring at your very own Christmas lights in no time. Before you make plans to begin hanging your lights, consult the forecast. The last thing you would want to do is get all the lights unpacked, strung all over the garage, only to look outside and see pouring rain.
More in Holidays & Celebrations
Shop our selection of Christmas light accessories and more today. The Home Depot delivers online orders when and where you need them. Sign up below to receive more useful tips, ideas, news, and more from B&B. Interested in protecting your home with worry-free vinyl siding? Contact B&B Siding and Roofing for a no-pressure consultation. If you’re thinking about replacing your roof, read this first.
When it’s time to deck the halls, the quickest way to share the holiday cheer is by installing Christmas lights. This guide will teach you how to hang Christmas lights and help you determine how many you may need to decorate your home. You'll also learn how to pick the right type of light, and the best way to hang Christmas lights to get the job done safely and efficiently. We all love the cheerful glow of holiday lights so lets make the process seamless from start to finish.
Adding holiday lights to greenery can be tricky because it’s hard to get lights to stay evenly spaced across supple, contoured surfaces. With net lights, there’s a bright white (usually) LED at every netting intersection, so it’s easy to drape lights over the shrub for instant illumination. Hang net lights from fences, stonewalls, and porch railings, too. Unless you want to trudge through the snow to plug and unplug your lights twice a day, you’ll want to use lighting timers to automatically turn on and off your display. Depending on how your lights are strung together and just how illuminated your house is, you may need multiple timers. Take care to sync them carefully, and be sure you’re only using timers that are rated for outdoor use.
Outdoor lights should always be plugged into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which will reduce the risk of electrocution. To avoid having dozens of cords running back to the house, try using power stakes, which are portable devices that bring power where you need it with just a single cable to the house. There are several areas of your home you should measure before hanging lights to determine how many strands you'll need.
These can be used to create all sorts of interesting effects, from snowflakes falling across your house to Santa Claus flying overhead. If you’re looking for something a little more durable, then C9 or C7 bulbs might be a better option. These are the traditional large glass bulbs that you often see on houses and businesses. They’re a bit more expensive than mini lights, but they’re also much less likely to break if they’re dropped or stepped on. Along the roofline, Heath installed String-A-Long 300 Light Clear Icicle Light set, which is manufactured by the General Electric Company. To secure the lights to the roofline, Heath used universal shingle/gutter light clips, which can be found at The Home Depot.
