The Christmas lighting is one of the best parts of the  holiday season isn’t it. We all love the sparkle of holiday lighting and we all want to be, like the Griswolds, the best of the best in the holiday lighting in our neighborhood. We can’t begin big and be the best. It may take you a year or so to get your display in order but there is no reason at all that you can’t dazzle the world with your lighting from the first year you display it onward.

Here are a few tips to help you get your Christmas light display in order.

Begin at the beginning. If you’re new to all this, light up just a few things and focus on those, such as the shrubbery or your fencing. Expand that next year.

Use lighting that is rated for outdoors. Dont’ ever taken indoor lighting and expect it to perform for you well outside where the climate is a great deal different.

There is a type of lighting for every situation, uplighting, twinkling lights or perhaps just a single spotlight can be used in given sitautions. Know the best kind of lighting for your situation.
Test your light strings and fix them BEFORE you put them up. It will save you climbing up and down on that ladder when the weather gets yukky out there. Cover your connections with electrical tape or some other waterproofed method to avoid an issue with electrical safety. Keep  your lighting in good shape and make sure that you double inspect it. When you put it away as well as when you take it out, take a long hard look at it. Start at the bottom. Start at the base of the shrub, tree or other items that you are decorating and wrap your way to the top. Location location location. If that tree can’t be seen from the front, don’t bother with it. instead decorate the shubbery or the front of something that can be seen unless you’re making the display for a private backyard get together. Keep it simple. There is such a thing as overkill. Subtle twinkling can be awesome in all different locations but too many in one place mean that the best won’t get noticed. Do the unexpected things.  Set a single spotlight on a wreath on your door, or uplight a tree and add cardinal ornaments to an outside tree, or a single snowy owl to the underside of a pine tree. Don’t be like everyone else, add your own personal touches to it all. Don’t leave your lighting on overnight. Set stringent hours and turn it off. Your neighbors as well as your electric bill won’t suffer for your holiday decorating.