11 bulbs a-twinkling

Expert Tips for Dazzling Christmas Lights

1. Variety is the spice of light. When it comes to holiday lights, there’s a type available for every nook and cranny of your house and yard. Whether you want blinking rope lights outlining windows or net lights blanketing bushes, wising up on your holiday light knowledge will help you get the most bang for your buck.
2. Know your limit. Light within it. If you don’t have roofing experience, limit your lights to eaves, gables, and the edge of the roof. Keep lights and cords away from metal. Beware of overheated wires, aluminum gutters, and ironwork decor. If you want more lights on the roof itself, call a professional lighting company.
3. Less is more. If you’re a Christmas lights novice, light just two or three items—trees or bushes are good starters—to serve as focal points.
4. Exercise restraint. Holiday lights can be dazzling and fun, but be careful not to overload your circuits. Include no more than 1,400 watts on a circuit. If other lights in the house dim when you turn on the holiday lights, your circuit is overloaded.
5. Nothing cute about ‘electrocute.’ Only use lights with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label and be sure you’re using lights designed specifically for outdoor use.
6. Give it a rest. Turn off outdoor lights before going to bed, and don’t leave them on when you’re away from home, unless they’re attached to a timer with a photocell.
7. The point is eyeballs. If your evergreen can only be seen by passersby from the front, save lights and work by decorating the tree front only.
8. Avoid pierces and punctures. Avoid old-fashioned nails, staples, screws, or hooks when mounting your display. Electrical tape is a quick and easy alternative—it won’t destroy your roof, and it’s a good tool for protecting electrical connections. Clips, such as shingle tab or parapet clips, hold lights to surfaces by applying simple, safe pressure.
9. Burnt = toast. Recycle and replace. Test light strings and replace any burned-out lights before decking the halls. Burned-out lights drain power from the entire light string, and the other bulbs will grow dimmer.
10. When to start high or low. To string trunks of deciduous trees, start at the base and wrap the lights around in a spiral. If you want to illuminate an evergreen, however, start at the top and zigzag lights through the center of the tree, getting wider with the tree’s shape.
11. Add depth and dimension. Consider ground and stake lighting for extra holiday oomph. Multicolored lights work well for outlining walks, paths, and driveways.

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