Outdoor Christmas Lights
Christmas decorations have become more elaborate over the years, and Christmas lights 
are no exception. Holiday enthusiasts of all kinds have made this hobby a passion, and the variety of lights available to consumers reflects this. This is great news for the rest of us--the more intricate the lights, the more fun it is for us to watch!
The Basics
There are a few standard lighting arrangements that you'll find are most common around this time of year. Below are the different types of lights you might consider using for your home or for the trees in your yard.
Christmas Lights Figures
You can buy your favorite characters fully lit, ready to put on your front lawn and impress your neighbors. Premade figures can be found in shapes of anything from Spongebob Squarepants to sport stars , and it's a great deal of fun to try and have the most unique ones in your neighborhood. Here are some of the more popular choices.
How To String Lights
Stringing lights around your yard's tallest pine tree is like stringing them around your Christmas tree, just remember the ladder! Putting up lights around your home, that's another story. No worries, follow our lead.
- Sketch out your yard, including length and width measurements, and outlet locations. You'll want to visualize where you can put up your lights.
- Measure your house, any window panes, and whatever trees and bushes you want to light.
- Match those measurements with those of your chosen lights and figure out how many strings you'll need to purchase.
- Note: Strings vary from 25 to 200 lights.
- Plan on 50 lights per foot of height if you're stringing trees and bushes. Double that number if you ae using miniature lights.
- Make sure that you have enough slack. Add about 40 yards to the spaces you measure.
Purchase your lights, taking into account the different styles available.
Test the lights out before hanging them.
Set up a ladder and ask someone to spot you as you climb.
Put up plastic light clips so you can hang the strings from gutters and the roof's eaves.
Start at the base of the trunk or the bottom of the house, and work your way up to hang the lights.
Accessories You'll Need
Light Type
Buying Tips
- For trees, expect to use somewhere around 75 lights per feet of height (double the number if you're using miniature lights).
- Net lights work well on bushes, and can save you a lot of time and money.
- No matter the number of lights you use, only use ones that are specifically designed for outdoor use. These use a specific amount of wattage that makes them safe to endure the potential harshness of the winter. This wattage also allows for the bulbs to be brighter and longer lasting.
- When shopping, look for strings that can be plugged into each other, especially if you're using chasing lights. Having too many independent strings creates a large mess of plugs that all need to be powered somewhere.
- If you're using stringed lights, try to use shorter strings. This will make it easier if a strand goes out and you need to replace it.
Staying Safe
If you're not careful, your Christmas lights could prove to be a serious fire hazard. To keep you and your loved ones safe during the holidays, here are a few guidelines to follow when shopping for outdoor lights.
- Only buy lights that are labeled specifically for outdoor use.
- Buy stringls that bear the seal of an independent testing lab, and follow their directions for installation and use.
- Connect your lights to a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupting (GFCI) outlet. If you don't have one in your home, contact an electrician for installation.
- Don't use nails or staples to secure lights to any part of your home.
- To avoid wire damage, make sure you don't hang lights or set up extension cords in areas where windows or doors will shut on them.
- Absolutely do not overload your extension cords, and check new and used lights before plugging in.
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