Have an Ideal Holiday Season With a Pre-lit Christmas Tree

There can be a lot of stress and added expenses during the holiday season. Having a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree can put you in control of both the stress level and the expense, helping you to experience a much more enjoyable Christmas.

Purchasing an artificial pre-lit Christmas tree will cost you less, which will leave you more money to purchase gifts and spend on entertainment and food. A pre-lit tree is a one-time expense that will last for years, as opposed to buying a real tree each year and then paying extra for replacement lights and ornaments. It will look just as nice the following season as it did when you first purchased it. Year after year, your tree will keep its appearance and stay in perfect shape.

The thing about fresh trees is that they can make a real mess in your home. Fresh Christmas trees constantly need to have their water containers refilled, and they also shed dry needles that get embedded in your carpet and drip sticky sap which is difficult to remove. When you have a pre-lit Christmas tree, you will be a lot merrier because you won't have to spend all of your free time cleaning pine needles from your carpet or watering the tree. Your tree will not fall apart and will always look fresh and neat. You can spend the holiday season admiring your tree, rather than taking care of it.

If you decide on a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree, you can be sure that you have chosen the perfect tree for your home. If you ever went from place to place looking for the perfect fresh-cut tree to fit in your super-sized living room or your tiny apartment, those days are over. You will be able to buy the perfect tree for your living space, and you will have it available for years to come. You will never have to worry about looking for a Christmas tree again, and you can spend you holidays in a much more fun way.

The best part of it is today's artificial Christmas trees look as good as the real thing; there is nothing obvious about them that tells people they are fake. You can get an artificial Christmas tree in many varieties of the fir species, and they come with long or short needles. When you purchase your tree, look for coordinating garlands and wreaths that will make your holiday decorating a snap.

When you own a pre-lit artificial Christmas tree, you can avoid the hassles associated with looking for, decorating, and taking down a fresh one. In addition, you won't need room to store the bulky boxes of ornaments and lights during the rest of the year. Decorating for Christmas has never been so easy -- all you'll have to do is plug in your tree and enjoy. If you stop and think about it, doesn't this seem like the ideal way to enjoy the holiday season?

How to Decorate for Christmas

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people love decorating for Christmas -- there are some simple guidelines you may want to follow to make sure your decorations look great!

Steps

Keep things simple. Many people have way too many decorations both inside and outside their homes. Less is more.
Keep your decorations balanced throughout the house. Many people tend to crown all their decorations in one place; this is not always a good idea.
Avoid inflatable decorations. The neighbors pets may deflate them, or a sudden storm may relocate them at your neighbors. If you choose to use them, make sure they are securely tied down, and think about removing them if severe weather is in the forecast.
Use lights. This means a string of icicles across your roof or around a column, not spot lights or lights on every last thing in your yard. You may have a tree you want to light in the yard, or you may want to buy some of the wire framed figures like reindeer or snowmen, but be aware of the space these require, and the power they use. This also applies to indoors, use a few strings of lights on your tree with lots of other non-electrical ornaments, tinsel, and handcrafted ornaments if you have children who are "crafty".
- Choose white lights, colored lights (single color or multicolor), or both in equal amounts. Many people have a mash of random lights; this does not look good. This goes back to balance.
- Turn off the lights occasionally; do not leave them on 24/7. A good guideline may be as follows: Outdoor lights are suggested from an hour before dusk until midnight. Indoor lights might be on from 4pm[16:00] until midnight on weekdays and 8am[08:00] to midnight on weekends. On Christmas Day itself, all lights may be left on throughout the whole day if you like.
Finish the job. Don't let your tree be half bare, if you want to wrap an outdoor tree make sure you can even cover the entire thing, all the way to the top.
Put your indoor tree in front of a large window that overlooks the front yard. This is an easy way to add cheer to your yard without leaving the house.
Place candles in windows. Try battery-operated or electrical bulbs that look like candles so you don't burn your house down. This is another easy way to add cheer to your yard without leaving the house.
Put a wreath on the front door. Make sure it is securely attached and tasteful, not overstuffed with junk or too large. Again, decorate the outside - from the inside. If you want, you may buy some foil giftwrap, maybe green or red with Christmas designs to cover a door, giving it a welcoming Christmas look.
Time things right. Do not put up your decorations too early or take them down to late. Many people seem to be in a race to get decorations up earlier every year, so here are some suggested dates for putting up the decorations and taking them down:
- no Christmas before Thanksgiving; Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) is early enough for decorations to be displayed anywhere, even in your home.
- no Christmas after January 6th [epiphany] but it's best to take the majority of stuff down by New Year's. This also applies to the wearing of Christmas related clothing or accessories, the playing of Christmas music, and the airing of Christmas TV shows.
Avoid mixing and matching icons. A nativity scene may not be appropriate very close to a Santa Claus and his reindeer display.
Be original. Do not copy your neighbors. If you like something they have done, mimic it, but make sure to also do something additional that is unique or only do part of what they have done.
Do not compete. No one else should decide what your yard or house looks like, it's your property and your money so it's your decision, do what you like.
Use common sense and care when erecting outdoor diplays or attaching lights to the eaves and roof of your home. The job of installing them can be dangerous, and emergency room visits are common for holiday decorators.
Keep electrical cords out of walkways, wet locations, and pinch points. If you don't have exterior electric outlets, do not be tempted to run the extension cord out a window or door where it may be damaged, and do not try to light more lights than the cord is rated for.

Tips

For the Outside:
- Choose a few permanent elements to use year after year, examples include: a string of icicles across the roof line; a string or two around a column in a spiral type fashion; a "cage" style light grid on a bush; two reindeer near a tree.
- Choose another few smaller elements to use for one or two years, examples include: a wreath on the front door; an extra string of lights around a door or window.
For the Inside:
- Choose some permanent ornaments to use year after year, these can be simple shiny colored balls or ornaments that have a personal significance; remember not to use too many.
- Choose one or two new ornaments to add each year, perhaps one new one for each member of your family or each child[make it a tradition]; make sure they mix well with the ornaments you have.
- If someone gives you an ornament as a gift and you don't want to keep it, put it on the tree for that year only, then dispose of it[by next year they will probably have forgotten]
- Every few years, evaluate the ornaments you have, discard those you no longer want or those that have no significance. Remember less is more and keeping the number of ornaments reasonable will look much better than using too many, also it will make it easier to enjoy those that you love.
- Lights on your tree are not absolutely necessary, if you wish to leave them off, feel free to do so.
- Garlands are a tricky subject. A popcorn garland might be fun to make and nice to look at but difficult to clean up especially if you have young ones or pets. Feel free to lose the garland all together, also get creative, some people find a festive ribbon to drape in a tree or make their own and knit or crochet a custom decoration. These techniques can also be used to decorate a banister or indoor column.
It's often much better to have a few expensive, well made decorations than too many cheap, tacky decorations. Well made ones can last for years to come and be appreciated time after time. Good examples of this include Austrian crystal tree decorations.
Christmas markets, especially European ones, are a great source for gorgeous handmade decorations.
Don't buy all your decorations at once, if you are decorating for the first time, buy a few inexpensive decorations. Then, after the holiday many stores will have drastically lower prices on many things. Buy a few more at this time each year until you feel you have enough decorations. As with the ornaments, periodically analyze decorations. Discard the ones that you no longer enjoy, might be broken, or that no longer serve their purpose. Keeping these fresh is almost as important as keeping them balanced and meaningful.

Warnings

Use safe methods of hanging lights. If you use a ladder, be careful, and use it properly.
Use only outdoor rated extension cords for exterior lights, and do not try to attach too many lights to one cord.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Decorate for Christmas. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Do you want to decorate your Christmas tree and fight global warming at the same time? Well now you can! Just make sure that you use Solar Lights for free lighting at Christmas.

Improvements in technology now mean that the costs of Christmas lights powered by solar energy have reduced to the point that everyone can now afford them. And the best part is that once you have bought and installed them the cost of lighting them is free.

Solar powered lights require no connections to an outlet so there is no electric bill for solar lighting. Of course you have to live in an area where you get sufficient sunlight each day to charge up the batteries with solar energy during the winter season especially around the Christmas holidays. Even if it is cloudy it can still be possible to charge a battery enough for good night time lighting, however it is always best to check that the type you are looking to purchase will do this if it is of concern to you.

As with all solar lights installation is easy. Your main problem is going to be finding a location with direct access to sun light for the mini solar panel that collects the suns energy to charge up the power unit. But now there is no need for long and dangerous extension cords trailing around the floor.

You can even get solar lights for Christmas trees which are totally for outdoor use and which will cope with whatever the weather chooses to throw at them. So now you can easily put lights on trees in your yard that were previously out of reach. Just hang them up and you are all set.

A typical scenario might be a string of say 60 lights on a tree along your driveway which are charged by the sun during the day and which turn on automatically at dusk and then run for about eight hours during the night with no energy cost at all. There are now many different solar lighting solutions designed specifically for use at Christmas and other holiday occasions. Due to the new technology, miniaturization and the use of LED lights you can now find many new and innovative designs that previously you could only dream about.

Solar powered Christmas lights for both indoor and outdoor use are now available in many different fixtures and fittings to suit any use or location you many want them for. You can of course also use them year round with no energy costs to enhance your yard, property or trees in any way you wish and most units will continue to illuminate from dusk till dawn.

There are many different designs available including string lights, snowman lights, Santa lights, Christmas tree lights, stake lights, garlands, reindeer, snow balls, stars, maple leaves, flowers and in fact almost everything you can imagine for displaying a Christmas theme. And these are all available in many different and beautiful colors. Whatever you want you will be able to get.

So now it is easy to create a really festive Christmas attraction or a party atmosphere and decorate a tree or building with one or more sets of solar powered lights designed specially for the holiday season. And you can do all this with no electric cost using free energy direct from the sun.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/electronics-articles/solar-christmas-lights-for-trees-and-holiday-lighting-489624.html

Vintage Christmas Lights are a great way to bring back the past. With all of the retro trends in society, retro Christmas lighting has become a popular way to impress your friends and family. The World Wide Web has become an excellent resource for finding old Christmas light sets from years gone by. HolidayLEDs.com is one of the leading resources for finding Christmas lights for sale. If your parents or even your grandparents are visiting you this Christmas, you can remind them of their youth with beautiful lights from years past.
Christmas lighting dates back to the 1800s! The first public Christmas tree appeared in the White House way back in 1895. This even was instrumental in gaining public awareness of the Christmas tree tradition. In the early 1900s, the first light sets were sold to the general public, and the lights gradually evolved throughout the early 1900s. General Electric Company was one of the pioneers of the early Christmas light displays.
Between the 1930s and 1950s, lighted figurine sets were very popular in American society. Including these figurines in your light display this year would add a nostalgic feel to your display. There were figurines developed for virtually all of the Christmas symbols, starting with Santa Claus and going all the way to Nativity scenes.
As time passed, more and more varieties of light displays were developed. In the mid 1940s, the famous Bubble lights were first developed. In the mid 1950s, twinkling lights first appeared in the market place. General Electric continued developing new light sets, but they had a lot of competition from foreign companies.
By the 1970s, most Americans purchased all of their lights sets from foreign companies. It was the end of the era for American companies, but Vintage Christmas lights are still popular today!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Vintage-Christmas-Lights---The-History-of-Christmas-Lights-and-Where-to-Buy-Them&id=3282302

One of the principal differences between Christmas lights of today and those of yore is that LED lights are now offered in a variety of sizes and colors. LED Christmas lights use a semi-conductor to brighten up the tree or the inside or outside of the home. They are extremely energy efficient as compared to the old fashioned mini-lights. In fact, people estimate they save about 90% of their Christmas electricity bill by converting to LEDs.
LEDs come in mini lights, round shapes, and large pointed varieties, and they are more expensive in the onset. However, most people recoup their losses in extra expense on LEDs, particularly if they light their tree regularly.
Also, LED Christmas lights do not get hot and thus pose less fire danger than do regular mini-lights. They are slightly less bright, but can be connected to regular light strands as they connect end to end. Some say that the white lights do not mimic the brightness and glow of mini white lights. This can be addressed by buying a soft yellow or cream LED set instead.
Traditional incandescent Christmas lights are also still quite popular and exhibit many varieties. They can now be found arranged in icicle light formations, a quite popular outdoor decorating choice. Some vary this by using blue or green icicles instead of the more expected white.
For a while, the larger pointed bulb lights were not available. They did get hot and proved a fire danger. Now one can find both LED and incandescent bulbs available for the large bulb look outdoors or indoors. The bubble Christmas lights were also a once dangerous choice, though many people loved them. Safe bubble lights are now also available.

Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-different-types-of-christmas-lights.htm

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Elegantly

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

See also: How to Decorate a Christmas Tree
When Christmas comes around, we all look to get the largest and best tree to decorate. A real tree is usually the best, but you will have to make sure that it is shaped properly, to enable you to decorate it and have it look elegant and outstanding.

Steps

Pick your tree. Some people prefer the look and smell of a real tree, others like the reliablity of a fake one. Other traditional alternatives are feather trees and tinsel trees, feather trees dating back to the late 19th century and tinsel trees to the mid 20th century. They can have a lot of old-fashioned charm, however, they may not work with all decor.
When buying a real tree, make sure you see the tree out of its netting. Look for a full tree with evenly spaced branches and a symmetric, tapered shape. Get a tree that still has the tips of its branches intact. A sheared tree is cheaper, but it looks less natural and will have more loose needles.

Get a Christmas tree stand with the deepest water reservoir you can find.
- Another way to keep a tree fresh is to put it in a bucket of water. You can use bricks to lift the tree high enough so that the bucket doesn’t interfere with the lower branches.
- Make sure the tree is securely wedged into position.
- Add the water only after the tree is in place.
- Cover the stand or bucket with a brightly colored throw or scarf.
Buy white or off-white lights, that do not play music or flash.
- Either incandescent or LED lights are fine, but get small ones, as their purpose should be to accent the ornaments, not be ornaments themselves.
- Hang the lights from top to bottom, pushing them partway into the branches to hide the cord.
- Use them sparingly and space them evenly.
When selecting ornaments, avoid using anything with too much glitter.
- If you use tinsel, use sparingly and add each strand separately, making sure each hangs straight down. Or try metal or glass icicles instead of tinsel.
- Plain balls are another traditional, elegant ornament shape.
- For a truly minimalist look, use only white or silver ornaments. Otherwise use a simple color scheme or use color sparingly.
- If you use ornaments other than glass balls, find a theme such as birds, antique toys, boating, etc.
- Ornaments can make a tree individual and personal. A collection might take a few years to acquire, but you can use your imagination.
- You can even use things that aren’t strictly for the tree.
- Candy and other treats are a traditional addition and is popular with kids.
- Also try natural objects, like pinecones and fruit.
To really make a statement about your Christmas tree, start with the most important ornaments.
- Then hang the largest ones, spacing them evenly apart.
- You will then want to fill in the spaces with any medium and small sizes to balance the overall look of the tree.
- Don’t forget the bottom! You can add more depth by hanging ornaments closer to the trunk. And use an interesting variety, there are so many fabulous ornaments for sale now so be sure to get some including icicles, teardrops, squares, triangles. A little variety can really separate your tree from the rest.
Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree as well as on the tips of branches, to add depth and interest.

Video

Tips

Place your tree close to a window. This will help add a Christmas cheer to the outside of your house
You do not have to use every decoration. Sometimes less is more. Don't worry about offending 'Aunt Mary'; she probably won't even notice.
Buy ornaments for next year after Christmas, when they’re cheapest.
Have your children make something for the tree. You can even look up elegant homemade ornament ideas on wikiHow.
If you are worried about using a real tree because of the tendency to shed needles, keep the tree well watered and keep it indoors for a minimum of time.
If you are worried about using a real tree because of the environmental effects, remember that most trees are farmed, and are not coming from wild areas. You can also sometimes find trees that are thinnings from powerline ways and other areas that are going to be cut and unused otherwise. Also, consider a live potted tree.
Other alternatives to plastic trees are feather trees and tinsel trees. Many people think they have an old fashioned, antique charm. Old ones can be quite expensive.
After the holidays, many areas offer special services that will remove your tree to have it chipped and composted. Ask your local city government about this.
For those very special ornaments, put the ornaments in boxes so they won't break when you store them away for the year.

Warnings

A bucket of water (in addition to the bricks) is very heavy and should hold a fairly tall tree, but if it seems unstable or your tree is very tall you may need a proper stand.
Some of the better ornaments are breakable. Don’t hang them on weak branches, branches low to the ground (especially if you have children or pets) or too close to the edge.
Christmas trees are known to catch fire. Don't use a massive amount of lights, and don't use a real tree in dry areas.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

http://www.christmascentral.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Elegantly. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Christmas tree light represents light to our path in our life's journey. We may not notice its significance in our lives but the mere look of it giving light to our Christmas tree which represents our life will surely put a smile on our face.
The smile on our kids faces when they see light into our homes bring us back to the time when we were kids. We don't need expensive Christmas Tree Light to give us the "wow"! Today, we are faced with choices and a whole lot of choices just to buy tree lights.
Well, I am not an expert on home decorating but I surely know where to get the best yet the cheapest you could ever find in the market today. I use to buy expensive Christmas Tree Light to impress my friends on how I decorated my home. But I realized that worth is nothing compared to the value and the message of the holiday that brought our families together for this one special occasion.
Snowflakes, outdoor, and LED lights are just a few of what I have found to be available in the market today. And if you buy them at the Christmas shop, you will be spending twice the price since you will be spending for gas, then we also have time, traffic and a lot more.
Wishing for a better way of buying your Light decorations without a hassle? This is what I am here for. I have spent a lot of time going around looking for the perfect Christmas gift for you. Shop in the convenience of your home and you'll be spending more time with your family. Just a click of a button and your Christmas Tree Light will be delivered right in your doorstep.
So gather your family and go shopping with them, hassle free!

Real is an expert at helping people achieve their dreams & Goals.
You might recognize him as Lt. Taggert from the ABC Soap Opera General Hospital.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Christmas-Tree-Lights&id=3396347

How to Decorate a House With Christmas Lights Without Going over the Top

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

It's the time of the season to make your house look awesome! This article will inform you on how to make your house look great with lights and decorations without going overboard.

Steps

Get the supplies listed in the "Things You'll Need" section. Make sure you don't get too much or you will keep wanting to add!
ONLY apply the lights on the mantle, the tree, on the outside of your house, and simple places like that.
Apply small decorations on the shelves or side tables, display collections of santas, angels, snowmen, etc in groups.
Carefully put your tree in your desired room, consider where it will be seen from. If you have a front sitting room with a window that faces the street it is nice to place the tree there. Also consider Christmas morning, make sure you have enough room to get the kids around the tree to open presents without being confined.
After you put lights on the tree, try putting lights on the mantle, but be sure to lay some cedar boughs on top of the lights too. Use artificial greens on top of hot lights to avaoid a fire.

Tips

Using icicle lights gives your home a nice touch without overdoing it. It's easy too!
Try your local dollar store for a few ornaments. Stick to maroons and deep greens to keep your decorations from looking cheap.
Get cost-effective and creative ideas from existing displays on the Tacky Light Tour.
Space out your ornaments.Every other branch is good for width.
You can also put lights on bushs or hedges outside your house. They always look nice without going over the top.
Hang lights around the walls and ceilings. This will make your walls look like Clark W. Griswold came by to decorate and you will become known throughout the neighborhood for such a marvelous display.

Warnings

If you are moving too fast it might make you want to add more and more, so stop and relax for a second.
Do not place more than one ornament on a branch. It weighs it down and it won't look good.

Things You'll Need

Lights
knick-knacks
Your breath
A tree
Presents
Tree hooks
Candy Canes
Ornaments

Related wikiHows

How to Put up Christmas Lights Outside

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Decorate a House With Christmas Lights Without Going over the Top. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Put up Christmas Lights Outside

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The exterior of the house is what your neighbors see. You are obviously proud of your home and you want to show it off. Here's how to do it properly and with grace and style this holiday season.

Steps

Determine the style of your home. Is it ranch? Tudor? Victorian? Basic tract box? Multi-story? Use lights and/or other ornamentation that will complement your own home. Just like accessorizing yourself for a party, you want to select the right jewelry for the outfit, the occasion, and your body size and style.
- For a Victorian style house, there may well be no such thing as “over the top". But elegance is a key factor. Strings, strings and more strings of lights around every architectural feature of the house will enhance it's stature.
- A ranch-style or single story home calls for lights around the roof line, the fence and along your entrance walkway. (Refrain from putting lights on shrubbery. You’re trying to show off the house, not the bushes.)
- Multi-story homes call for the same basic theory as a Victorian, with less “fluff". String lights along the roof line, around columns, along the porch railing.
Browse through a few magazines for ideas that may be suitable for your own use.
Walk around your neighborhood and borrow some ideas that catch your fancy. Try not to make it too obvious and don't copy another house exactly-that won't look good for either house.
Visit home furnishings stores. You’ll find excellent ideas for dressing up your windows inside. This treatment becomes part of the view from the outside.
Use a reliable, sturdy ladder. Use the right tools for the job.
Get a helper but if you work alone, use a basket or bucket with a handle to tote your materials. Put a nail or an S hook on the ladder. This will allow you to hang your tote vessel. Limit the number of times you go up and down the ladder, but do not lean to reach anything. When you can’t reach the next position, move the ladder. Do one step of the project to its completion before you begin the next phase.
Examine the lights. Make certain that they all work and that there are no frayed areas in the cords before you take them up the ladder. Avoid “repairing" frayed cords. Dispose of the entire string if you find damaged cords. It’s not worth the risk of fire. Do the roof line first. Locate the power sources. You’re going to need at least one good extension cord. Select an exterior cord which is compatible with your lights, and with the weather it will endure. Your house probably does not have a power source near the roof.
- You can run an extension cord through a window. (You will not be able to close the window all the way.)
- If you have an exterior outlet somewhere on the house, install your extension cord from the outlet to the roof line keeping the cord as close to the building as possible. Be sure the outlet is protected from rain, snow and sprinklers.
Install fasteners or holders over which to drape the extension cord(s) and the light strings. Space your fasteners uniformly with the distance of area between your between the bulbs on your light strings. (Finish this step completely before you start hanging the lights.) While nails, screws and other metallic fasteners seem to be the answer, they are conductors of electricity, they rust, and they put holes into your structure. There are many products on the market made of rubber or heavy duty plastic designed for hanging electrical cords. Consult the sales staff at a reputable hardware store. Tell them what you will be doing with them. They’re fairly inexpensive and easy to install. Look for fasteners with a moisture resistant, peel-and-stick backing that will hold up to ten pounds.
Hang the lights. Start at the power source and follow the fasteners to the end of the project. Hang one string, then plug in the next string, end-to-end. Don’t cut corners by plugging all the strings together. You’ll end up with a bundle of tangled light strings. Be certain that the light string cords are secure in/on the fastener. You don’t want wind, birds, small animals or Santa to knock them off.
Get down to the ground, turn on the lights and stand back away from the house. Check for uniformity. Get a second pair of eyes from a family member or a neighbor. Good job!
Decorate other elements of your home next.
- Columns: Combining the light strings with holiday garland (natural or artificial) will enable you to wrap a column (barber pole style) with ease. The additional bulk of a garland will help avoid slippage of the light strings and add a little pizazz, too! If you need a little adhesion, space and hide small pieces of removable tacky clay behind the string garland. Removable tacky clay is available at reputable craft or hardware stores.)
- Porch Railing: Open baluster style: Using the same barber pole technique with garland, loop the light strings over and under the railing. Secure it as needed with removable tacky clay.
- Porch Railing: Along the top of the porch enclosure (one that is like a ½ wall) use the rubber or plastic, peel and stick fasteners that were used along the roof line. Note: these fasteners may be ineffective on concrete or stucco.
- Fences: Use the same techniques as on the porch railings.
Sit back and enjoy the Holidays!

Tips

Less is more. Don't turn your house into the sun. This not only wastes electricity, but can be disruptive to your neighbors. Your house will look better if it is lit, but not blinding. There is such a thing as too many blow up figures, deer and other lawn ornaments.
Get great decorating ideas from the pros by checking out Christmas light websites like the Tacky Light Tour

Warnings

Lawn ornaments (snowmen, Santa, deer) are clever and eye-catching. Be very careful, especially if you have a small yard; it fills up quickly. Keep the safety of your own children and your visitors and guests in mind. A maze of electrical cords hidden in the yard can be hazardous.
On the exterior, avoid blinking or flashing lights. They can be very distracting to people driving by and they look horrible. Seriously, this isn't a movie theater.
BEWARE OF LEAD EXPOSURE. There is lead in the wiring or insulation material. Wash your hands after handling the lights--maybe you can wear rubber gloves, too.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Put up Christmas Lights Outside. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Make Your Christmas Lights Flash to Music

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You've probably seen videos of Christmas lights that are synchronized to music. If you want your own lights to blink to the tune of your favorite song, here's how to do it.

Steps

Decide how big you want it
A channel is a unit of lights that can be controlled individually. For example, a single bush in your yard may be a channel. All the lights in a channel work as a unit (you can't flash an individual light bulb). 32 to 64 channels is a good size to start with.
Stock up. The best time to buy lights is the day after Christmas. Many times you will find lights that were normally priced around $2 a strand fall to $0.50. Check out Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, K-Mart, etc.
Obtain a control system. You will need hardware that hooks up to your computer. You can buy a system completely built, a kit, or a full do-it-yourself system. More information is available through the External Links below.
- A fully built system will work right out of the box. It will cost you about $20 - $25 per channel. It can be purchased from online vendors. Choose this option if you do not want to do any electric work (especially soldering.)
- A kit will cost from $15 or so per channel. It's pretty much the same thing as in their fully built product without the enclosure. Because it is very simple to place an electronics board in an enclosure, this may be a great option to save you money. Some vendors sell everything you need to build a control system, including the bare circuit board and the parts. If you are willing to solder a little bit, check this out.
- A do-it-yourself system has a very low cost of $5 per channel on up. The price depends on how much you actually do yourself. A system consists of a controller, which communicates with your computer, and solid state relays (SSRs), which actually switch the lights. SSRs can be bought or made yourself. With a do-it-yourself option, you will spend lots of time making your hardware, but the cost savings can make up for it. You also have total customization of your hardware, and will be able to fix problems easily.
Get help. This can be a very big and complicated project, and often can seem overwhelming if you're just getting started. You can sign up for the forums at the sites listed below.
Get software. If you buy commercial products, they have software available for purchase. There is also free software available for Do-It-Yourself systems (see the links section). If you're ambitious, you may wish to hand-code a program in almost any major programming language (usually not for pre-built products, as most of their protocols are closed-source).
Design your display. Design the actual outside portion of your display. Common elements to include are:
- Mini lights or net lights on landscaping
- Icicle lights or c-series lights on roof
- Mini Trees These are 2 to 3 foot tall trees, often made of tomato cages wrapped in lights of one or multiple colors. They are arranged in a line or a triangle and are very useful in an animated display.
- Mega Trees This usually consists of a large pole with lights extending from the top to a large ring around the base. Again, it is very useful in animation.
- Wireframes Metal frames with lights attached.
- Blowmolds Plastic lighted sculptures.
- C9 Lights on yard perimeter
- Deer, trees, etc. purchased from store
Program your show. Here comes the time consuming part! Decide on music that you will synchronize to, then start programming on your time grid. Don't do everything at once. This will probably take a couple of months to several, depending on how long your show is and how many channels you have. How to do this varies by the software program you choose.
Let them hear you. Use a way that will create a spectacular sound yet keep everybody at peace. Speakers playing the same music over and over again would drive the neighbors crazy, so in most cases you will need to broadcast over an FM frequency. Please see the warnings section at the bottom of this page.
Get powered up. Make sure your home has enough outside power to run your lights. A typical mini light strand draws about 1/3 amp. Speaking of power, computerizing your display will have a lower electric bill than a static display. This is because not all the lights are on at once. Please see the warnings section at the end.
Publicize. Put a sign in your yard. Make a web site. List on a display listing site like the Tacky Light Tour. Tell your friends. Doing all this work will not be worth it if no one comes to see your display. Don't go to extremes, but make sure people know about you.
Set up.
Maintain your display. Go outside every morning and check your display. Repair or replace broken lights or damage caused by weather or vandals. Make sure things are ready to run the next night.

Tips

Talk to neighbors, police and your homeowners association about possible issues with traffic flow, noise, etc. It is much easier to prevent problems than to correct them. However, make sure they understand that there might be problems, not that there will be problems. People need to know what to expect, but don't stress things so that they shut you down before you even start up your display!
Use your time wisely. This is a big project, so don't be afraid to get help or try to do things more efficiently.Try to take your time for checking your lights and making sure there are no fire hazards!
Signing up for the forums at Christmas lighting sites is a good idea. You will get help from others and help others.
FPGAs make fantastic custom control devices, which can hook between an RS232 connection on a PC and a relay board for the lights. An entry level Spartan 3e Xilinx demo board is around $150.
Get people who know their electronics to help out, maybe someone in your neighborhood is a pro at this. Who knows?

Warnings

FM Transmitters may or may not comply with FCC rules. The transmitters will broadcast at a very low power, so they should not cause any interference. The FCC allows you 200 feet from the transmitter without a license.
Do not do anything to the Belkin other than extend the antenna. Building an amplifier is not recommended. If the transmitter causes anyone to have interference, your only choice is to shut it down. More information on the FCC rules can be found here.
When you are dealing with lights you are dealing with high-voltage. United States line voltage (115 volts AC), in the right place and amount, can kill you. Always use a GFCI on any circuit that is outside, including your lights, for your safety and the public's.
Use a control system appropriate for your locale. Many countries use voltages higher than in the U.S., sometimes with different power line frequencies. Some places may even need lights with voltage-reducing transformers. Check with the manufacturer of your product, or the designs you followed, to see if your control system is acceptable for your locale.
This is time consuming. Start at least 6 months in advance, more for DIY systems.
Be considerate. Your neighbors may not appreciate you flashing lights or loud music at night, it is therefore recommended that you turn them off at some point during the night.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Your Christmas Lights Flash to Music. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

In my experience, I would say that most Holiday lighting companies are small (2-4 employees) and only have the ability to handle a limited amount of customers each year.
Once some installation companies establish core clients after their first year, many of them dont even market. Their business comes from previous jobs or referrals from current clients, which usually is made up of neighbors, family and friends.
Each holiday season, you will find that more calls come in than can ever be fulfilled. I have found this to be a very common complaint from Christmas lighting installers: too much business! I cant think of any other industry that has a problem turning down customers!
During the first week of December, things get really busy any calls start pouring in. I have found myself telling people that I cant leave my house for less than a minimum of $400. Lighting services are in such demand that people are really willing to pay an arm and a leg to have it done.
Growth is the goal and most important aspect to your new business. Be careful though because you dont want it to grow so quickly that you find yourself overwhelmed. This will only lead to a series of problems that will have a negative impact on your business. Dont bite off more than you can chew. Only make commitments that you can keep. Never say you will do something and not follow through. Your reputation is your most valuable asset and you should protect it at all costs.
Take this business one job at a time and dont be afraid to tell a client that you are booked.
Things tend to get very busy and there is only so much you will be able to handle on your own. It may be hard at first to turn down jobs, but be aware that there is always next year.
Keep a database of names, numbers, and email addresses. Even if you dont get to them this year, you will be able to contact them earlier in the season next year to ensure that they become a client.
Make sure that you take down as many details as possible about your clients and contacts. Names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, how they found you, job description, and price quote are all important to have in a database. The more organized you keep your business, the more efficient you become and the more profits you make.
You should have a good handle on your strengths and weaknesses as a worker and a business owner. If you dont, you will soon learn them.
Owning a business will teach you a lot about yourself. By knowing your skills and what you bring to the table, you will be able to take advantage of many opportunities that will make your business as efficient as possible.
For more information on starting a holiday lighting business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

Each year, people spend over 400 million dollars on lighting services over the holidays. Over the last 10 years, the industry has grown tenfold. The beauty of the Christmas Light installation industry is that virtually anyone can do it. No prior business knowledge is required. I know high school students that make $12,000 or more in just 60 days. I believe that anyone can make at least $20,000 in the 60 days leading up to Christmas. Great installers earn over $100,000 during the Holiday season. What the industry offers is an easy to start business opportunity. Most aspects of the business are already taken care of and all you have to do is follow the steps that I outline in this business kit. It is an extremely simple operation to learn and apply. You can do it. Yes, you.
Hanging Christmas Lights is a solution to the dull 9-5 job. This business lets you be your own boss, work for yourself, and determine your own schedule. With over 7 years of industry experience, I have created a realistic business opportunity that has proved to be a success with anyone who takes the principles and applies them.
In this industry, you are simply selling a service that includes the installation and removal of Christmas lights on residential and commercial buildings and landscaping. Can it get any easier than that?
The difference that you make in this business is how you choose to sell your services. Many Christmas lighting companies differ in how they sell their service. Some companies only sell the installation service requiring customers to provide the materials while others provide the work with no warranty. Other full-service companies offer to provide the lights, do the install, give a warranty for the season and provide a take down service at the end of the season.
I have found that the service that works best is one that combines all these variables together. I have built my business model on this principle. It is a model that that provides the lights to the customer, offers an installation before Christmas and removal of the lights in the following January.
Some Installation businesses offer to lease the lights to the client and then store them for the rest of the year. I dont recommend this model unless you have a huge garage or want to pay heavy costs to rent a mini-storage to keep your clients lights for the other 9 or 10 months of the year.

For more information on starting a christmas light installation business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

Christmas Light Installation is a business opportunity for anyone that is interested in making money fast. Whether youre looking for some extra money for Christmas gifts, a new job, a way to get out of debt or just a chance to own your own business, this kit is for you.
It doesnt matter at what stage you are in life or what your financial or educational Background is; this business kit can be your fast-track to financial freedom. I constantly receive emails from satisfied readers about how this business kit has helped start a successful Christmas Light Installation business or even help them increase revenue year after year.
I think its a great fit for any of these people:
- Seasonal business owners (Construction workers, framers, painters, landscapers, pool cleaners, window cleaners etc.)
- People with no prior business knowledge
- Aspiring small business owners
- College and University graduates
- High school students
- Fund-raisers for community groups and sports teams
As you already know, this is a seasonal business, so you have the opportunity to make quite a bit of money in a short period of time. That leaves you with the rest of the year to live how you choose. I usually take four months off to travel and then run a landscaping business in the summer. You, however, can do whatever you want!
This is a great business for many reasons. I believe that Holiday lighting will not only help you earn the amount of money you need to live a healthy lifestyle, but will give you the independence to and the self confidence to do anything in life that you put your mind to.
I am living proof that the information contained in these pages works. It is tried, tested, and holds true. The ideas in this business kit will not make you a millionaire overnight. Chances are, it will never make you a millionaire. What it can do, however, is help you obtain a comfortable lifestyle with the freedom and confidence to live your life as you choose.
These are the aspects of the job that got me interested in the first place:
- Its a simple, structured business model that is easy to follow
- Its one of the fastest growing service industries in Canada and the United States
- Its an easy-to-follow system
- Its an opportunity thats available now with minimal start up costs

For more information on starting a Christmas lighting business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

The Holiday Lighting and Decorating Industry has experienced an 800% GROWTH over the last 6 years! Also according to industry sources, residential homeowners and commercial and professional business owners spend over $200 Million each holiday season for this service.
And, with the holiday lighting and decorating industry being in it's infancy, this may be the perfect "Add-on" service to your existing business or a stand alone business that earns you enough in 3 months to take the rest of the year off.
Generally, the lighting season begins in late October, when you'll begin to generate sales and start decorating, and finishes up in mid January when you've finished taking down all the lights and decorations from your customer's property.
This industry is the perfect add-on for many seasonal businesses like, window cleaners, landscapers, painters, roofers, pool services, construction companies, fencing companies and florists. Plus, it's a lower risk starting this type of business venture because, you can utilize your current customer base from which to create sales and retain your employees during this season.
The average Christmas light installation company earns over $1000 per day per work crew during the 6 - 8 week season. It is also not uncommon for installers to earn upwards of $3000 in a single day when installing larger residential and commercial jobs.
A small scale Christmas light installation business can easily expect to earn upwards of $20,000 in their first season of business providing they have a solid and sound business strategy. Many mid size Christmas light installation companies rake in earnings in the low to mid 6 figures. I also know of at least one company called "The Perfect Light" that generates over a million dollars in sales in less than three months. So there is plenty of money to be made in this budding, high growth industry. For More Info Visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

Of all the home businesses out there, Christmas Light Installation businesses may be one of the best kept secrets around. Most people think of hanging Christmas lights as a low paying, low potential, grunt work job, and therefore they never give it a closer look. But, in reality installing lights and decorations is a highly profitable, low overhead, easy to start and run business.

Lets take a look at what makes holiday lighting such a great business to start:

-Low Startup Cost You can literally get your business up and running for $2500.00 or less.
-Low Overhead For many light installers the only expenses they have are gas, and replacement lights and materials. The only other expense you may have is liability insurance. Insurance is not required, but is nice to have. Insurance for christmas light installers runs $1000 to $2000 per year.
-Extremely Profitable Christmas light installers average between $1500 to $2000 dollars per day depending upon the job and the speed of the installer. It is very easy for a one or two person holiday lighting crew to bring in $60,000 to $100,000 during the holiday season.
-High Demand for Services Peoples lives continue to become more busy and hectic on a daily basis, and they just donÃ¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾t have time to install their own lights, therefore they pay to have them installed, even people who do have time to hang their own lights often would rather pay to have them professionally installed.
-Unlimited Growth Potential The population is booming, new homes and businesses are being built by the thousands, and so instead of your market becoming saturated, it is instead growing larger each and every year.
-Easy Work Installing christmas lights is very easy to do; anyone from a teenager to a senior citizen can do it. It is also very easy to train new employees.
There you have just a few of the top reasons why Christmas light installation is profitable and why starting your own holiday lighting business is such a good idea.

For more information on starting a christmas light installation business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

Are you an outdoorsy person? Or do you dream of traveling for months at a time? Or maybe just someone who appreciates long periods of down time. Whatever the reason, starting a holiday lighting business may be the answer youve been looking for.

While working only 3 months out of the year might seem like a pie in the sky dream, it is in fact more attainable than you probably think. I should know because Ive done it, as have many other professional christmas light installers from around the world.
In most parts of the world, the holiday lighting markets boom for a little less than 3 months leading up to Christmas and then die off for the rest of the year before picking up again after Halloween. Therefore by operating a holiday lighting business you have roughly 9 months (or more in some places) of free time before your work season begins.
But can I really make enough money in 3 months to live on for the full year?
The answer is a resounding YES! Of course, knowing how to live within your means is required. Lets look at some basic numbers to explain how it is possible to only work for 3 months out of the year.
Most people in the US could live quite comfortably on $50,000 a year, in fact a large percentage of the population would kill to earn this much in 12 months, much less 8. So we will use $50,000 as our required income for the example.
Nobody wants to work 24/7 at any job, no matter how much you love it. Most good paying jobs require you to work 5 or 6 days a week, so we will use these numbers in our example.
Full-time solo christmas light installers typically earn between $800 and $1500 a day. Sometimes they may earn as much as $2000 per day working by themselves. Simply by hiring a laborer to work with you can jump your daily income by 80% or more.
Now that weve got all of our criteria nailed down, lets see how it all breaks down in our 3 month time frame:
- Working 6 days a week for 3 months, means you would be working a total of 72 days per year. And with our required income of $50,000, that means that you would need to earn an average of $694.44 per day.
Looking at the above example, the goal of working only 3 months out of 12 is looking more tangible by the minute and considering that the average residential window cleaning job is around $1400, and the average 4-mand work crew brings in $3,800 per day, earning $50,000 in three months could easily become a reality.
For more information on starting a holiday lighting business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

Landscaping is a job with many benefits. 2 of the biggest benefits are making a lot of money during the summer months and being able to work outdoors. Although there is a lot of money to be made during the summer, for many landscapers the money virtually stops flowing during the winter months. This means landscape contractors have to find other ways of making money. Here are some ideas for winter time income for landscape contractors.
There are a few different ways landscape contractors can make money during the offseason. One of the best ways is by installing Christmas lights for people. This can be done for both residents and businesses. It actually fits right in with a landscaping business because the landscape contractor can use the same work crews and already has a large client base to market to.
Believe it or not, installing Christmas lights is very profitable. There are a lot of people who love to have their home or business decorated for the holidays but they dont have the time, the will or the skill needed to do it well. These are people who are more than willing to pay to have their Christmas lights installed for them. They Ãre also people who hire a landscaper to get their lawn done. And thats why installing Christmas lights is the perfect add-on service for landscapers.
Landscape contractors do need to begin to market and plan their Christmas light installation service early in the summer. They should start with the existing clients that they have. For example, a landscape contractor could have a basic brochure printed and pass it out to every customer. With the brochure could be a coupon for a percentage off for existing clients who sign-up to have their Christmas lights installed before September 15th.
Not only should the marketing be done early, everything involved with the Christmas light installation business should be done as soon as possible This includes retaining or even hiring employees and ordering materials such as Christmas lights and decorations. Most Christmas light distributors raise their prices as the holidays get closer. So landscape contractors can save themselves a lot of money by ordering their lights and materials early.
Landscaping and installing Christmas lights really do fit together very well. They are both jobs that involve outdoor work yet they need to be done at different times of the year. Most importantly, many of the same people who hire landscapers are also interested in hiring someone to install their Christmas lights. So, any landscape contractors that decide to install Christmas lights will find that the transition is very smooth as well as profitable.
There are many benefits to being a landscape contractor. However, there is a major drawback too. That drawback is the fact that during the winter months there is usually no work to be done and most companies are forced to lay of most of their employees. Thats why the perfect business for landscape contractors is installing Christmas lights. Landscape contractors just have to make sure they start planning the business in the early on and that all the plans are done by late September. Then the landscaper can begin to install lights sometime around Halloween. This will allow the landscape contractor to make a lot of money during the winter time.
For more information on starting a holiday lighting business, visit:

http://bit.ly/christmas-light

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