Planning your Christmas Lighting

There is no harm in putting a little forethought into your Christmas lighting as a little planning goes a long way

. It is very easy to find yourself with strings of tangled lights, no where to put them and without the right sockets to plug them into. This article outlines the necessary steps needed before hanging up your Christmas lights to ensure a perfect display.

First things first, decide what you want to achieve. Are the lights going to be displayed inside or outside, or both? Where exactly do you plan on placing them? Will they be used to frame anything in particular, maybe even the whole house? Once you have thought about your objectives you will be better placed to carry out the rest of the project. It can be extremely useful to draw a little diagram too of where exactly you want to hang the lights. This can be for reference later and for writing the measurements on too.

Measuring up is the very next important step. Not only do you want to measure the length of a lit up area, but you also need to measure the distance to the nearest plug sockets. Getting either of these two measurements wrong can cause countless problems later on. You can make a note of these measurements on the diagram so that all the information is held in one place and can be taken to the shop where you will buy the lights.

Armed with this information you are now able to buy the lights you want. There are a huge number of different Christmas lights available these days. Some flash or buzz on and off, often providing a combination that can run on a rotating basis, others provide nothing but a constant light. There are coloured lights or plain lights, lights of different sizes and lights with casings of fairies or angles or other novelty designs. The quantity you will need to buy will affect which you choose because of cost. It is a good idea to buy one sort rather than a combination as the end result will look better. You can always use smaller decorative items to provide additional interest and decoration to which the unified set of lights will provide a nice backdrop.

Make sure you study the measurements on the boxes carefully when choosing your lights. Often the different lengths will be stacked in the same place and it is very frustrating to find that you have bought the wrong type of light when you get home. Only outside lights should be used outside, inside lights will be extremely dangerous if placed outside because of the wind and rain. Outside lights are stronger, water resistant and able to stand the elements in a way that indoor lights are not.

Once you have purchased the lights you are going to use, or have untangled them from last year, it is sensible to check if they are working. Plug them in and change any bulbs that need replacing. At this point you are now ready to hang the lights where you would like to. If you are attempting a complex display then employing an electrician is the best route to take. For simpler displays you can do it yourself, but be careful to secure the lights properly - neither Blu-Tack nor Sellotape are sufficient for securing Christmas lights to the wall.

Christmas lighting is an important part of Christmas. There are many ways to light up your home, from rope lights to fairy lights and all types of coloured light in between. The trick to a successful project is a forward planning. Then your blue Christmas lights and other lights will not only look great but will continue working throughout the season and into the next.

Planning your Christmas Lighting

By: Kathryn Dawson

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