Hanging Christmas Lights

The DIY Resource to Hanging Christmas Lights Like a Pro

Hanging Christmas lights like a pro can be accomplished by anyone, regardless of skill level and experience. With the proper tools and steps, any beginner can successfully light up the exterior of a home.

Browse our selection of Christmas lights, clips and power cords, or call our professional sales team at 866-962-7382 for help in finding everything you need to be successful in hanging Christmas lights.

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• Christmas Light Clips Chart
• Shop Christmas Lights - C7/C9 Bulbs, LEDs, Minilights, Hanging Icicle Lights and more
• Shop Christmas Light Clips

Step 1 in Hanging Christmas Lights - Have Proper Materials

Materials for hanging Christmas lights include the following:

• Sturdy ladder - tall enough to safely reach the highest level to be decorated
• Bucket to hang from ladder and hold materials
  
• Proper Christmas light clips
• Outdoor extension cord
• Outdoor timer

Step 2 - The Professionals Always Measure

Professional light installers always have a tape measure handy. There is no other way to accurately determine how many lights will be needed, and what lengths in string lights to use. Start by measuring at the base of the house, going along any turns and corners. Measure doors and door frames, window frames, and any columns that will be lit. If hanging Christmas lights on peeks, climb carefully up a ladder and measure along the area of peak to be decorated.

Step 3 - Consider Design

Begin by studying the roofline, gutters, and shingles. Christmas lights can be installed on any of these surfaces, but there are specific clips for each type of surface. Inspect how thick the gutter lip is, and how loose or tight the shingles on the roof are. Do the gutters get in the way of the shingles?

Locate power sources. Most new homes are equipped with outdoor power sources, but older homes may need to use an indoor power source, with the power cord coming through a window. Measure how many feet of power cord will be required to extend from the power source to the beginning of the roofline.

This step is vital. This is the step where design begins, and limitations are found. When hanging Christmas lights, there are many obstacles that will surprise the first time installer, but if planned correctly, every limitation or obstacle is easy to overcome.

Step 4 - Choose Which Christmas Lights are Best

Christmas lights are available in a large assortment of sizes, shapes, and colors. Deciding which bulb to use is a combination of both functionality and personal preference.

Popular Christmas lights for hanging on the roof or gutter are icicle lights and C7 and C9 bulbs. Icicle lights are mini light strands with shorter light strands that drop down at different lengths, creating the appearance of dripping icicles. C7 bulbs are much larger, measuring 2.5'' tall, or the size of a nightlight bulb. C9 bulbs are often called retro bulbs and measure 3'' tall, making them easy to see from the road.

C7 and C9 bulbs and stringers can be purchased separately or as prelamped light strings. Purchasing bulbs and stringers separately has many advantages, including better selection in wire color, easy replacements of bad bulbs, and ability to change out bulb colors each season. For large or custom lighting projects, purchase a spool and cut wire as needed, keeping in mind that a shorter runs of lights is easier to handle when perched on a ladder.

Shop Christmas Lights now, or continue to Step 5

Step 5 - Calculate Power Wattage

To calculate how much power will be used in hanging Christmas lights, begin by deciding on bulb spacing. The most popular spacing between bulbs is 12'' and 15'' for the roof. If the bulbs are too close together, the lights from the bulbs will blend.

Lighting professionals calculate power wattage to prevent overloading the circuit or blowing a fuse. To determine Christmas light wattage, multiply the wattage of the bulb by the number of sockets, and divide by 115 to reach total amps. For example, 5 watt bulbs x 125 sockets / 115 = 5.43 amps. The total amps must be less than 10% of the total amps the wire is rated for. Using the wattage in our example, a wire rated for 7amps will work, but a wire rated for 5 amps would require a shorter run.

Step 6 - Christmas Light Clips

Choosing the best Christmas light clips for the project is key. There is a large selection of clips for every application in hanging Christmas lights, whether hanging Christmas lights from gutters, high peaks, flat roof tops, siding, paint, or brick. Study which clips will work best with the roofline, shingles, or gutters, and pay attention to which bulb sockets will fit in each clip. All-in-one clips are a great pick because they work with the largest variety of bulbs and applications.

It's usually better to attach Christmas lights to the clips on the ground, climbing carefully up the ladder with only one string of lights at a time. Take caution not to let bulbs hit the ladder or walls while climbing on the ladder to prevent bulbs getting broken during installation.

Step 7 in Hanging Christmas Lights - Turn the Lights On

The final step in hanging Christmas lights is to turn the power on and admire the view. Look for any bulbs that may not be lit, and ensure they are screwed in tightly, replacing if necessary. Set an outdoor timer to turn the lights on daily at dusk, and either turn off at midnight (a popular time), or the next morning. Most timers shut outdoor lights between 11pm and midnight to save on energy, yet stay on late enough for everyone who drives by to enjoy. Don't forget to take pictures and email customerservice (at) ChristmasLightsEtc.com so we can enjoy and post as well!

Use our Christmas Light Clips Guide to find the best clip for your applications.

Working with mostly gutters? How to Install Christmas Light Clips on Gutters