How do You Untangle Christmas Lights?

From Christmas Lights Etc

Never fails. No matter what sort of care I take to store Christmas lights, the lights inevitably get tangled, twisted, and intertwined. Not sure how it happens…but it does. I begin untangling lights early in the summer whenever I may have a few minutes here or there. Untangling my Christmas lights slowly over the months helps me maintain my sanity (rather than untangling the lights all at once) and helps me decide what new Christmas lights I may need to order.

Yesterday was my first round against my lights. I had a few strings of LED lights that were on a shelf in the garage and I figured what the heck I can straighten them out in a heartbeat. Boy was I wrong. A few innocent strings of Christmas lights quickly became an entanglement that had me scratching my head. I followed my normal procedure of stretching the light strings out as best I can to avoid making the situation worse, spacing the strings apart so I can tell which strings is which, and then start unwinding the lights from the male plug end.
In theory, that sounds like a good plan until I come across some knotted Christmas lights. By the time I untie the knot and continue working my way through the strings of lights, I have invested 20 minutes in my Christmas lights and have only separated a few strings. I can only imagine how the rest of my lights will turn out.

I know, I know…I should store the lights better and, for the most part, I do but there always seems to be some strings that get all discombobulated. Lend me your tips and tricks. Post your comment and let us know how you untangle your Christmas lights? Post your best (or worst) picture of tangled lights on the Christmas Lights Etc. Facebook page and we can share in our misery!

DIY Outdoor Christmas Decorations with Mini Lights & Plywood

There are plenty of outdoor Christmas decorations on the market but there may be times when you want a completely unique decoration or one that simply is too expensive to buy. You can create your very own personalized decorations with some mini Christmas lights, plywood and some ingenuity.


To get started:

• An idea what you want your decoration to look like
  
  • Will it be a snowflake, Santa, or a favorite cartoon character?
• Once you have settled on the design, figure out the size
  
  • Take a look at decorations you have already. How big are they? Can they be seen by passers-by? If so, start with that size and adjust to your idea
  • Keep in mind that the bigger your design, the more lights you will need
• Purchase a sheet of plywood large enough for your design
  
  • We recommend a ½ inch thick plywood to stand up to the elements
• Map out the color scheme of your design
• Get enough solid color mini lights for the color scheme
• Grab a drill and roll up your sleeves

Start by sketching your design onto the plywood by either drawing it yourself or by having an artistic friend sketch the design onto. Sketching with a marker ought to do the trick. Just make sure whatever you use is dark enough and thick enough to see.