I LOVE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! I love christmas lights so much that after I thoroughly "Griswold" up my house, I go to the neighbor' house and help put her lights up, because nothing shows your holiday spirit more than not being able to look directly at the display without suffering mild retina damage.
That being said, and because I feel so passionate about that everyone should share in this luminary joy, I am sharing 2 of my "hacks" to get you started on your very own tribute to the classic holiday movie "Christmas Vacation."
No Ladder Required:
Never again will a fear of heights or ladders or the statistic about an average of 250 ER visits per day nationwide during the months of November and December are attributed to accidents incurred while holiday decorating, hold you back from reaching your full wattage potential.
Meet the "J-channel."
This item is sold in the vinyl siding section of most hardware stores for a few bucks and comes in a variety of lenghts. It is light weight, bendable yet sturdy, and cutable. When used in combination with a "no ladder string light hanger pole" ($10-$20 at most stores) it will not only save you hours of time but eliminate the hassle of dragging around and climbing up and down a ladder. Attach your string lights to the strips either utilizing the j shaped channel or with tie wraps (as I have done here with my rope light). Attach the string light holder clips that came with your pole through the cut outs on the J-channel and follow the instructions on the package of the pole making sure to plug in your extension cord prior to hanging in place.
Utilizing the J-channel will only require about 4-8 clips vs. attaching clips to strands every 2-3 feet to keep your lights straight and evenly spaced in a fraction of the time. This is also wonderful for icicle lights and especially helpful for those folks (like my husband) who possess a few OCD tendencies spending an exuberant amount of time making sure every light is perfectly space and positioned uniformly.
DIY Mega Rope Light
This is a plastic tube made for protecting those long florescent light bulbs. It comes in a variety of lenghts and can also be found in most hardware stores for a few dollars. This nifty little guy can also transform your standard lights into amazing luminous luxury. Simply run your lights through the tube. The clear cylinder shape reflects and refracts the light emitted by each bulb creating an illusion that is similar to lights suspended in water. Use 2-3 tie wraps around the outside of the tube and attach to clips to hang in a perfect straight line.
Wishing everyone a VERY BRIGHT and Happy Christmas!
Until next time,
Andrea
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