If you like getting involved in the Holiday Season by dressing up your home with lights and decorations then begin today by checking out this list of ideas and best practices for your outdoor holiday SWAG!
Before You Start Holiday Decorating!
Begin by choosing the size and type of lights you would like to use to decorate the outside of your home. Outdoor holiday lights range in size from miniature to extra-large; place smaller lights on trees and/or plants and larger bulbs on rooftops and pathways. If you choose to use LED lights versus the more traditional look, keep continuity throughout your space instead of utilizing both styles for a more aesthetically pleasing experience.
Calculate how may lights your will need to complete your space. Outdoor trees that are four feet tall will need about 100 lights; trees that are six feet tall need 200 lights; trees that are ten feet tall need 400 lights; trees that are twenty feet tall need about 1,000 lights. Evergreens will need more lights than other trees because they are able to retain the most foliage during the winter.
Think about your outdoor electrical outlets and where they are in relation to your holiday lights. Safety must always come first when planning your lighting experience which means that low hanging wires or wires on the ground can be dangerous and a hazard to you and your family.
Let There Be Light!
For trees, start by wrapping tree trunks at the bottom and moving upward. Wrap lights firmly but not too tight as they may cause stress on the tree. Continue pairing strings of lights until you have reached the top of the trunk and then carry on back down to the base of the tree. Wrap branches similarly to the trunk by starting at the base, but only wrap about ¾ of the branch’s full length before coming back down to the bottom of the branch. This will allow the branches to stay healthy and not be weighed down.
If you have a wooded area that makes hanging lights on individual trees difficult, secure a few horizontal cables across the entire space. Then, at varying amounts along the horizontal cable, let white lights hang vertically. This will give the effects of a twinkling forest or sparkling shower.
Run lights along walkways and steps to give a Winter Wonderland experience or add color lens to your existing outdoor lighting for a dramatic statement. Don’t forget your fences and archways are a great place to add light too!
Give A Warm Welcome!
- Add Holly Berries to evergreen potted plants for a pop of color on your front porch.
- Use burlap as garland to create a rustic effect this holiday season.
- Save your left over pumpkins and paint them white to double as snowmen on your porch.
Finally if you really want to pull out all of the stops…attach vertical strings of holiday lights to your curtain rods so that your home glows both inside and out!
