Tips and Tricks for Hanging Outdoor Christmas Lights

Christmas is a time of year filled with many traditions. One tradition for many families is to decorate their homes with strings of lights, and many people enjoy walking or driving around neighborhoods to admire the displays. If you are planning to decorate the outside of your home with Christmas lights this year, here are some tips ad tricks to make the process quick, easy, and safe.

Tip #1: Start Early

This is especially important in a cold, snowy climate. It is much, much easier to hang lights in good weather, not to mention safer. (An icy ladder is no good!) If you feel that it is too early for Christmas decorations, remember that just because you hang the lights in advance doesn't mean that you are obligated to turn them on right away. Likewise, they will be easier to take down in the spring once the snow had melted.

Tip #2: Use Appropriate Light Hangers

If you are planning to hang your Christmas lights with nails or a staple gun, my word of advice is: Don't! These methods run the dangerous risk of electrical shock and can damage your strings of Christmas lights. Instead, look for specialized Christmas light clips designs especially for decorating your house. These clips usually screw or nail to the house, rather than going directly through the string of lights. As an added bonus, most Christmas light clips are designed to stay up year-round and use again and again, so hanging lights in subsequent years will be quick and easy.

Tip #3: Test the Lights First

Before you hang any of your lights, remember to plug them in and test them first. It's much better to know at the beginning that you've got a dud than once you've spent an hour stringing them across your eaves.

Tip #4: Work from the Electric Receptacle Outward

This may seem obvious to some people, but there is nothing worse than getting all of your lights hung and realizing that you're yards away from a power source. Plan your Christmas light hanging so that the first strand starts near the place where you will plug in the lights.

Tip #5: Use Christmas Lights to Highlight Architectural Features

Hang lights following the natural architectural lines of the house. Follow roof lines and window frames to create a professionally-decorated look. If your home has columns or porch posts, wrapping them with a strand of Christmas lights will accent that unique feature of your house.