The Key to Successful Outdoor Christmas Lighting Depends on These Three Factors

Seasonal & Holiday | HGDI ADMIN

Your outdoor Christmas light display can be a delight that puts a smile on many faces in your community. Make yours a successful one this year when you address these three outdoor lighting aspects that will make all the difference in your display.

Lighting Clips

Strings of lights can be arranged in many ways, along the eaves of your home, down the sides, around the windows and more. No matter how you design your lighting, you will need something to attach your light strings. That is where good lighting clips are invaluable. 

Choose your lighting clips based on the size of your holiday light bulbs and the particular placement of the lights. Speciality clips can accommodate lights around windows or doorways, for example. Others are made just to grab on to brick surfaces. 

The Rules of Light Strings

Strings of outdoor lights come in lengths of anywhere from 25 bulbs to 200 or so. Measure the distance you will need carefully, to ensure that you buy enough lights for your display. Keep the following rules of holiday lighting in mind:

• Do not connect more than three strings of lights in any run.
• Use only light and extension cords that are approved for use outdoors.
• Only connect light strings with the same number of bulbs. 

Know Your Bulbs

While mini or twinkle lights continue to be the most popular type of Christmas lights, larger old fashioned bulbs and bulbs of different shapes are also available and becoming of more interest each year. 

1. Mini lights are the smallest, and resemble tiny candles. They are approximately 5/8 inch tall. 
2. C6 bulbs have a fatter shape and are the traditional Christmas tree lights. They are approximately 11/18 inch tall.
3. C7 bulbs are fat as well, but they are slightly larger and rounder than the C6 bulbs. They measure approximately 1-1/2 inches tall.
4. C9 bulbs are a good choice for outdoor holiday lighting because they are the largest of the bunch and can be clearly seen from the road. They measure approximately 2-1/2 inches tall. 
5. G series bulbs come in a variety of sizes. They have a globe-like shape. 
6. Rope lights contain many tiny lights inside a plastic tube, and are very convenient for wrapping around poles and trees, making garlands, or snaking along the ground. 
7. Net lights have a criss crossed network of wires with mini lights and can be “tossed” over bushes. 

Image Source: NiteLites of Delaware Valley via HGDesignIdeas.com

 

 

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