How to Make Your Christmas Lights Display the Best in the Neighborhood

One of the best parts of the holiday season is the beautiful decorations in our neighborhoods. Entire blocks haul out their Christmas lights, inflatable snowmen, wire-framed reindeer, and Snoopy houses, along with the rest of both handmade and commercial Christmas decorations from years past to decorate their home and yard. Others are hitting the stores to find the perfect set of twinkling lights to either add to their collection of Christmas decorations or to start a new one. Here are some helpful hints on how to make your Christmas lights display the best in the neighborhood.

Pick a theme.

Some of the best light displays start with a theme. This lets you target a specific aspect of Christmas and let it shine. Plus, it keeps you on track to make a cohesive arrangement. A nativity scene doesn’t necessarily belong next to an inflatable Grinch, for example. Whether you choose to go with all-white lights to simulate snow falling, red, white, and blue lights that dance to patriotic music, or you assemble the Peanuts gang in your front yard, the more you can stick to a theme, the more efficient your lights display will be.

Plan your lighting blueprint.

Christmas lights aren’t very effective unless they can be seen. Try standing across the street or a ways away from your house to see where the best vantage points are. You can drive by in your car to get a feel for where your lights can really pop, what windows you can decorate, and what part of the roof gets the most visibility. Then plan out your lights. Do you want the giant glowing snowflakes in the windows, or would they look better hanging from a tree? Extra points if your Christmas tree can be seen through a window from the street.

Put up your lights.

This is the hardest part and it’s going to take the most amount of time. I suggest getting friends and family to help, as trying to do an entire lights display by yourself can be quite a daunting task. Test each section of lights as you put them up to make sure there aren’t any loose bulbs that could cause a major failure in the rest of your display. You could also lookup professional light-hanging crews to come and put your lights up for you. Make sure you have a detailed plan for them to follow if you do.

Add music to the mix.

Lights displays are a great treat for your eyes, but you can stimulate other senses too. Adding music to your light displays brings in a whole new dimension of entertainment, especially if you can coordinate the flashing of the lights with the music. From classic Christmas favorites like "Jingle Bells" to American greats like "God Bless America," you can find the perfect music to accompany your theme. Throw in "Silent Night" if you have a nativity scene. Here’s a great guide for how to set your Christmas lights to music.

Here are some extras to make good lights display great.

If you really want to bring some interactivity to your display, you can try adding a snow machine to your front yard. Just fill it with ice and you’ll have your own winter wonderland, even in San Diego. Electronic train sets can also add a sense of classic Christmas cheer that will travel through your yard, delighting passers-by. You can create a custom track and recreate your neighborhood or a famous city. The North Pole is a favorite.

Follow this guide and soon your house will be the talk of the neighborhood. Just remember that having the best lights display in town may come with a lot of attention, awards, and even an extra dose of holiday cheer. Merry Christmas!

But if you feel this is too overwhelming call in the HELP to hang your Christmas lights for you. 

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