Create a Winter Wonderland of Lights with a Little Careful Planning
Many people have incredible childhood memories of the joy and magic of the Christmas season as a child. These memories and traditions are often centered around holiday music and light displays. Visiting a local home or business that is known for creating a stunning holiday display can become an annual tradition for everyone in a community. If you’ve always wanted to create such a display at your own home, you may have run into the following roadblocks:
- Being unsure about what kinds of lights to purchase
- Budget limitations and concerns
- Being too busy during the holiday season
- Feeling inexperienced and unskilled with the process
Many of these problems can be eliminated or at least alleviated by some careful planning done ahead. Here are some tips and trips from the Christmas lighting pros on how to make the most out of your Christmas outdoor lighting by planning ahead.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
One of the hardest aspects for many people when planning for Christmas decor on the exterior of their home is trying to figure out what exactly they want and what will look best on their property. By thinking about this in advance, you’ll have time to browse the internet for photos of other great holiday displays and find one that really jumps out at you. In fact, if you plan a year in advance, you can drive around and see what others are displaying on their homes, and take pictures and notes about what you like best. This annual planning activity can be a lot of fun, and it will give you plenty of time to figure out what you want for next year’s holiday display.
Budgeting Blues
If you’re worried about the cost of purchasing, running and storing holiday lights, you’re not alone. In fact, budget concerns stop many folks from even looking into a Christmas outdoor lighting display on their home or property. This is another area of concern that can be resolved by good planning. Create a “Christmas Lighting Fund” and put a small amount of money into it every week. You can even make it fun and involve the whole family by decorating a jar where family members can deposit their extra change all year. Even if you can only do a few strands of lights the first year, with consistent saving, you’ll be able to add new things each year until your display reaches exactly what you like.
Procrastination – The Enemy of Planning
If you’re like many people, you may have a little problem with the procrastination bug. When it comes to holiday lights, procrastination is just going to make things worse. Have you ever ended up trying to hang lights during a snowstorm? Chances are you’ve been there, done that, and its definitely not any fun. Set a date for when you want to turn on your Christmas lights, and then plan backwards for when you need to have them up. This includes planning what date you need to have everything tested, when you want to purchase them, what exactly you want to purchase, and what your design ideas are. By planning ahead and putting small tasks on the calendar as part of a family activity as the season approaches, suddenly putting up your Christmas decorations becomes fun instead of stressful.
It Takes Time to Learn
Many families find themselves with lots more enthusiasm than ability and experience when it comes to Christmas lighting. Fascinated by the spectacular displays we see on the homes and businesses of others, we may sometimes have expectations that exceed your abilities and knowledge. Rather than becoming discouraged, part of planning ahead may involve some research on best practices and techniques. Whether it’s a neighbor who always has an amazing display, or a professional lighting company that comes in to give you a lighting consultation, it’s okay to ask for help. Keep in mind that most of the holiday displays that you admire the most are done by professional companies or individuals who have been working for years to perfect their art.
Getting Help
If you really want something fun and incredible for your holiday lights, but don’t have time or patience to learn by trial and error, contact a lighting contractor who can help evaluate your property, assist you in creating a design and even handle complete installation for you. After all, creating holiday memories doesn’t mean you have to do all the work yourself, right? Whatever you decide, be sure to remember the many advantages of planning ahead so you can be ready for the holidays this year and have time to sit back and enjoy the spirit of the season.
Contact Inaray today to create an outdoor lighting design for your home.
