Christmas lights/holiday lights

[Michele]

Do you put them up? Colored or white? Big or little? Line the roof or just some trees/bushes? Blow up moving decorations?



I grew up with a very laid back dad who was super particular about his Christmas lights. We only had mini white lights and he lined the roof with them. They had to be straight!!! And so he individually stapled each light in place! The one year he was in the hospital the neighbors hung them for us and I'll never forget that year bc they were all saggy and crooked. . He also never let us get colored lights. . We also didn't do any lawn decorations. The family next door covered their yard with plastic statues....nativity scene, Santa, reindeer, elves, etc. One year my mom got plastic candy canes to line the driveway and my dad complained for a week!

There are so many options now. What do you do?

[Vanquisher]

I always want to do something but am too lazy. After I'm finished with the inside, I have nothing left for the outside which is 100 times harder. Pretty much, the doors get wreaths.

[diggitydot]

DH is obsessed with the outside lights. I swear, he's part Griswold. He puts them on all the shrubs/trees out front, puts mini-snowflakes up around the porch, and then lines the gutters with the icicle lights. All are multi-colored LEDs. We've talked about doing just single colors, but we both like the multi.

[migirl]

No outside holiday lights for us, and very minimal outdoor decorations at all. Mainly 'cause we're lazy!

[v-girl]

DH does the outdoor lights. I used to insist on simple white lights. I've lightened up over the years. In January the girls and I bought a light-up penguin. Ha ha ha!

[medpedspouse]

When my next door neighbors yard looks like an airport landing strip complete with plastic holy family and reindeer that are twice as big as Santa, who can compete with that? So, we put luminarias around our walkway, a wreath on each window and the Moravian star above our door...very understated. My goal is to have all the outside lights up and down in a hour tops since I don't want them there come spring because it was too freaking cold to take down for months. Also, it has to be something I can do myself because the dawkter is rarely around - ya know. At the house we lived before moving here, there was an arbor in the front of the house that I would twirl lights around every beam. Was pretty to walk under and could come down quickly.

Maybe focus on your doorway, a part of your yard, or just the windows to start and make it manageable?? I've about decided that decorating needs to be an enjoyable experience. It has got to be something that does not stress me out, I get immediate gratification and will not require more than a step ladder because that's another rule in our household "thou shalt not climb anything that may warrant a fall and a possible break when no one else is in the house."

BTW - I so miss Christmas lights on palm trees swaying in the breeze...and making sand angels at the beach.

[SoonerTexan]

No plug on our front porch, so the door get's a wreath. That's it for now!

[BonBon]

I'm astounded by all the choices out there now. I put up mostly white lights on the landscaping, with some trees getting all red or all green lights. I'd like to do a little more but haven't figured it out yet. (too many choices!!)

[Chrisada]

Didn't realize until we moved in that there is no plug outside besides the garage. If there were plugs DH would go crazy with the lights.

[lovelight]

This is going to show you all just how green I am with decorating the outside of the house...how do you hang the wreath? All I find is hooks that go over the door but that seems like it would mess up the weathersealing. Is there another way?

I've never done outdoor lights and don't plan to start, but I do want to at least put up a wreath and maybe a few yard decorations (the kind on stakes...)

[Vanquisher]

I have hung wreaths using large command hooks.

[SoonerTexan]

I have hung wreaths using large command hooks.

Same here. They make a satin silver version that looks nice. I just leave it up all year, even when I don't have a wreath. I've used the over-the-door hooks and they do cause damage...not something I want to deal with in a rental. Plus the command hooks are completely covered by the wreath. Looks way nicer than the over-the-door hooks, IMHO.

[Tenacious_D]

I want to do more but haven't...our neighbors across the street have an awesome little display. I'll try to take pictures. It's stars and balls that are filled with lights. Very classy but stands out in a good way.

[BonBon]

We use command hooks too. They work great!

[v-girl]

We have a nail on the front door. It's going to need to be replaced when we can afford it anyway, but the nail has been there for as long as I can remember. I like making crap and hanging it on the front door.

Came across 5 boxes of lights that must have been bought from Christmas clearance in January. Look out Griswalds!