Choosing the Right Christmas Light Clips

Hanging Christmas lights on your roof, banisters, railings and windows can be time consuming especially if you are at the top of an extension ladder reaching to get that one last light hung just right. The last thing you want to worry about is figuring out which light clips are best for the job. Christmas Lights Etc. is happy to help. We have a great light clip page to help you choose the right clips for your decorating and here are a few pointers for choosing the right clip.

If you decorate mostly with C7 or C9 strands, you will need a clip that can hold the larger bulbs and allow you to set the lights in the direction of your choosing. For these bulbs, we recommend an all-in-one clip because it can be used on gutters or shingles, have folding tabs for a tight grip, and bulbs can be hung horizontally on gutters or vertically on shingles. Use one clip per bulb for a straight, consistent look on your roof line.

Icicle lights are a great look when draped on your roof or entryway. You want to make sure that your icicles hang uniformly and do not dip in spots to make the lights look sloppy. Our all-in-one plus light clip is the perfect solution for icicle lights. You stand the clip on your gutter and hang an icicle strand from the small hook at the base of the clip. These hooks can also hold mini lights or your C7 or C9 strands allowing you to hang your regular Christmas lights as well as your icicle lights at the same time from the same clip for a layered lighting effect.

Shingled roofs  present a unique problem when hanging lights especially if you do not buy the right clips. No need to staple the lights to your roof when you use our shingle tabs. These tabs slide neatly beneath your roofing shingles, stand upright to display your lights for easy viewing, and will not damage or disturb your shingles. If hanging lights from gutters is not an option, rely on shingle tabs for your lights.

The final frontier for Christmas light clips are brick homes. Brick presents its own set of issues when trying to hang lights. Rather than just give up, try our sturdy brick light clips for your decorating needs. Brick clips are specially made to snap onto standard brick sizes and grip the brick for a sturdy place to hang your lights. Brick clips are also the perfect solution to hang garland or wreaths on your brick home. If you have struggled to hang lights or simply gave up trying to decorate your brick home, try our handy brick clips to help decorate your brick facade.

There is a light clip for every type of surface you can find in your home. Whether looking to line your roof with lights or hang a large wreath on your brick garage, our Christmas light clip section has a solution to help you hang your lights.

5 Under-Appreciated Ways to Use Outdoor Patio String Lights

Some may think that mini lights get all the glory or icicle lights are the go-to option for decorating but outdoor patio string lights deserve their due. Patio string lights are just as versatile as mini lights, as bright as LEDs, and can easily be used for multiple decorating needs. In fact, we came up with 5 ways to decorate with the classic look of patio string lights:

1. Spice up that boring gazebo
   A gazebo is a nice addition to any yard but when the sun sets, you will need some lighting to brighten the gathering. Hang some patio string lights on the edge of the gazebo for a simple, yet elegant, lighting effect.
2. Give your outdoor dinner party a theme
   Summer is the time to head outside and entertain guests around the grill. Anyone can grill a burger and a brat…why not be different? Set the stage for a themed dinner with patio lights. Give the look of an outdoor Italian café and create a menu to match. Entertain your guests with your creativity.
3. Spotlight Your Garden
   You work hard on your garden. Whether its fruits and veggies or a flower garden blooming with color, there is no reason to not showcase your green thumb at night! Plant some stakes around the garden, hang some outdoor patio lights from the stakes and let the bulbs light up your garden.
4. Change Your Bulbs and Change Your Vibe
   Who says your patio lights need to be white? Not us. Vary the bulb colors based on the holiday, your mood or the occasion.
5. Light Your Path
   Nothing spells trouble like an unlit path for your visitors. It’s easy to light their way. Plant some stakes and hang your patio string lights on the stakes on each side of the path to illuminate the entryway to your home or the pathway to your garden.

Stress Saver – Prepare Early for Your Christmas Light Display

Summer is in full swing across the country and staying cool is the task at hand. But, as I sit and stare at my lighted palm tree, I can’t help but think that soon my favorite season will be here…Christmas. Each year I go through schedule that allows me to prepare my Christmas lights, trees, and outdoor decorations in a gradual manner so I do not have a lot of stress scrambling to fix light strands, repaint blowmolds, and repair wireframe rope lights in October and November.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love being outside as much as possible during the summer so I keep the light fixes to a minimum in order to make the most of the nice weather. But, when there are a few spare moments, I like to get some tasks out of the way. July is usually when I start the process by taking care of my outdoor Christmas decorations and wireframes.

It never fails that the harsh winter weather will do some sort of damage to my wireframes. The most common issue is clips which get broken and can no longer keep the rope lights on the wireframe. In July, I go about re-attaching rope lights to the wireframes. I personally like to use crocodile clips to attach the rope lights because they are built for rope lights, are very sturdy, and can be rotated in any direction for a perfectly aligned look.

I also take a look at the shape my rope lights are in. There are times when the rope lights may have been accidentally cut or I may just want to change the color of lights on my wireframe. Whatever the case may be, I take a quick assessment of the lights and decide how many new strands of rope lights I will need to fix the wireframes. I will do my best to repair the lights with a splice connector so I can save the lights if at all possible.

I have to be honest, if I have used a wireframe for a few years in a row, I like to branch out and see what new outdoor Christmas decorations I can add to my display. I personally like to focus on large wireframes that can complement my display but a simple addition of a few walkway trees or wireframe snowflakes will also do the trick. Since I normally know how my display will look, I go ahead and plan for a few additions to my display and factor in what I need to buy.

I am ready to place my order for new clips, rope lights and some new outdoor decorations now that I have taken quick stock of my wireframes and decorations. I normally order more clips and a few more rope lights than I think I may need just in case another wireframe calamity strikes or I want to use different color rope lights. I probably spend about a half hour on a rainy Summer night to figure out what I will need. Rather than scrambling to attach my rope lights to a wireframe in late November, I can take my time and replace what I know is broken…and then get back outside to sit under my palm tree. :)

Show Your Patriotism with Fourth of July Lights and Decorations

Just past the midway point of the year, as I search for reasons to put up my Christmas lights, the 4th of July is the perfect reason to break out my patriotic lights and decorations to commemorate the country's independence.

While fireworks may be the light show of choice for many 4th of July revelers, I tend to light up the holiday with red, white and blue mini lights adorning my back yard. As Old Glory waves in the breeze on my front porch, I compliment the flag with colored starlight spheres to round out a salute to our great country.

I never forget the reason for this national holiday and what it stands for. My patriotic decorations offer one more way to show my gratitude. Happy Independence Day!