by JJ Whitehead

Created on: August 03, 2008   Last Updated: December 31, 2009

I know that Christmas is right around the corner, snow will be flying and the jingling bells that hang from Santa's Sleigh will soon be in full force, so it is a great time to hang the Christmas lights. You probably already know this as well as anyone else, but picking out the right Christmas lights can be a chore. I will help you through this difficult time, though. There are a few things that really need to be considered at this juncture: style, color, and location.

Style

The style of the Christmas lights that you will choose should fit correctly with the style of the rest of your Christmas decorations. Net-style lights will provide a pleasant display for shrubs; rope lights will make a decent surround for patios; icicles look great from the edge of roofs and eves; bubbles accent trees and ornaments quite nicely; and bulbs (twinkling or not) in varying sizes can create great depth and quality to your tree.

Color

The color of your Christmas lights will have a resounding effect upon the overall look and feel of your Christmas scene. White lights provide a clear, crystalline feel as falling snow; primaries are a great way to accent snowy richness; muted tones in Christmas lights give a great backdrop for a wintery, Christmas scene; and there are also new lights that are formed in the shapes of candles, bulbs, icicles, bubbles, nets, etc. in various colors for your yard display or indoor decor.

Location

A necessary thought for Christmas light hanging is the location of the lighting scenes. You want to put Christmas lights in places of safety; where they fit; where they will not overshadow other decorations, such as the star/topper, the ornaments, any nativity scene items, etc. around the tree; where the Christmas lights will be out of the way of pets; and where they will not be a fire hazard.

Conclusion

There you have it, three points to consider for your Christmas displays while you wrap presents, bake cookies, and tell stories of the holiday season. Christmas lights are the anchoring part of almost all decorative scenes. Whether everything is artificial or not, you can create a great Christmas scene with comfort and ease. Just take these few things into consideration; but in the end, make purchases that look good to your eyes and make you feel good about them. Merry Christmas and good luck searching for YOUR perfect Christmas lights.

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