Most observers would agree that lights bring a special kind of magic to Christmas.
More and more people are adding outdoor Christmas lights to their festive season lights line-up. And if they are not OTT, outdoor Christmas lights can really brighten up a home.
Less is definitely more, however. Instead of a vast array of flashing multi-coloured Christmas lights, a few lines of rope lights along the eaves of a house, a fence or around a tree can look both classy and magical.
It’s important to plan in advance where to position outdoor lights. There’s no point putting them somewhere where they won't be seen. And remember to take measurements to ensure you have enough lights to cover the area where you decide to put your light display.
Electricity is a dangerous thing so at the very least buy a weather proof/ outdoor extension lead if you are powering your Christmas lights from a socket located indoors. For large installations it’s a wise idea to call in an electrician to add an external power point to your home. Most important;y, always ensure you are using lights designed specifically for outdoor use.
Once you have installed outdoor lights you should test light strings regularly and replace any burned-out lights because they drain power from the light string and other bulbs grow dimmer as a result.
Be careful not to overload the electrical circuits in your home. If other lights in the house dim when you turn on your outdoor Christmas Wonderland then your circuit is likely to be overloaded.
Posted: 27. November 2010 14:52