Every neighbourhood has one or two houses with so many Christmas lights that it looks more like a spaceship than a Christmas celebration. Whether it is because they simply love lights and outdoor decorations because it makes them feel happy or they are in a competition with their next door neighbour is difficult to tell. There end goal is the same, to get their house noticed. Whatever the reason it is possible to be the envy of your street without going overboard.
If you have a mansion, then having a thousand lights on the outside of the home may well be the correct amount. For the rest of us, a thousand lights are just too many, not to mention how much electricity will be used during the five weeks they are on. Never overload any socket with all the extra plugs required for the lights. If they are not in a surge protector, it may mean a claim on the household insurance policy if a fire starts. A good idea is to think of the home as a picture from a child’s book. Colour the lines, but not everything in between; sometimes it really can be a case of less is more. Too many Christmas items will draw everyone’s eye away from detail and make the picture of the home blend into a blur. Accent the house to draw friends and visitors eyes to the stand out areas.
Pick a colour scheme, remembering that not every colour has to be used. Multi-coloured lights are fine to use and are better than solid strings of coloured lights. Complementary colours which enhance one another, rather than competing against each other are the way to go. Also, consider what effect blinking the lights will do. It is true that blinking lights are fun, but too many of them will become distracting for anyone looking at the home.
Not everything in the garden needs to be decorated. Just because it is there does not mean it has to have a string of lights wrapped around it. Decorating for Christmas doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. The simple touches are often the most elegant and the ones that receive the most comments. Remember, if you have children, get them involved as they will love both helping and the end result; making the home stand out and ready for a visit from Father Christmas.
