How to Decorate Outside With Christmas Lights

Nothing says Christmas like bright, flashing lights. If you're looking to add a little Christmas spirit, follow these steps to decorate the outside of your house for the holidays.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Several strings of Christmas lights
• Heavy-duty extension cords
• Ladder
• Light clips for gutters and shingles

1. Bring a sketch pad outdoors, and draw a quick sketch of your house. Mark places where you want to hang lights. Don't forget to mark shrubbery and trees in the front yard. Estimate the lengths along the eaves.

2. Untangle your old lights (you knew you would have to sooner or later). After testing and replacing the bulbs, note how many strands you have in addition to the length and colors. Light strands range from 25 feet to 200 feet. Go back to your design and review where you want to place lights you already own. You'll probably find some gaps.

3. Shop for additional lights. You can choose from mini-lights, oversized lights, icicle lights, mesh lights, solid lights, blinkers or chasing lights. Even if you're going with clear lights, consider bursts of color in your shrubbery. Make certain any lights you choose are approved for outdoor use.

4. Choose similar types of lights to lay next to each other. Don't hang icicle lights next to big red bulbs. Develop a pattern according to type and color of lights for each section of your house. Hang a different color or type around an eave or your windows. If you only have a strand or two of big lights, hang them in the trees.

5. Plan on hanging lights on a nice day with few distractions. Locate the electrical outlets that will power your lights. You'll probably need a heavy duty extension cord or two. Hang the lights close to receptacles. You don't want to come up short a foot away from the extension cord.

6. Secure lights to eaves and gutters with light clips. Make certain your ladder is steady. Light strands should hang with the male plug and the female receptacle next to one another.

7. Check your work after every few strands by plugging in the lights. Sometimes, what worked on the living room floor doesn't work on the roof. Fix problems early.

Tips & Warnings

• Unplug lights when changing dead bulbs.

• Plug your lights into an inexpensive timer, or control them with an interior switch to save energy. Shut them off after peak viewing hours.

• Put lights away correctly after taking them down. Wrap them around a piece of cardboard or around your arm bent at a 90-degree angle. Place the lights in a plastic container.

Resources

• Get outdoor Christmas lighting display ideas.