Hanging Holiday Light Decorations
Twinkling lights strung from the eaves of homes and woven through the branches of Christmas trees are an important part of the holidays for many people. New energy efficient lights, such as LEDs, use much less energy and burn cooler than old-fashioned lights, making it more economical and safer than ever to have a beautiful light display at Christmas and into the New Year. Choose all white or colored lights in various sizes for your display, from tiny twinkle lights to large bulbs that resemble old-fashioned lights. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil and paper
- Ladder
- Measuring tape
- Extension cords rated for outdoor use
- Gutter clips
- Cable ties
- Timer
Instructions
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Stretch out all your light strands and plug them in to make sure they work. Replace any burned out or broken bulbs. Inspect the cord for any fraying or broken places in the insulation. Discard any unsafe strands.
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Sketch a plan. Decide ahead of time where you want the lights to go. You can outline the house, the roof line, the windows and doors or the driveway. You can add lights to outdoor trees and shrubs. Take into account the proximity of electrical outlets.
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Measure the area you want to light and determine if you have enough strands of lights. Purchase more if necessary. Make sure you have extension cords approved for outdoor use.
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Recruit help. While one person can put up lights, it's easier if you have at least one other person to help spot placement of lights, fetch more strands and steady the ladder.
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Begin at one side of the house or yard and move across to the other. Use gutter clips or another clip system to attach the lights to the house. Use plastic cable ties to wrap lights around columns or fasten to tree branches. Connect no more than three strands of lights together in series unless the light packaging directs otherwise. Support the lights with a new clip or cable tie every few feet.
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Install a timer. Leave the lights on for a specified period of time each evening, when you will be at home.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit smiling santa lights image by Zoe Schumacher from Fotolia.com
