Now that the air has the crisp bite of fall, many of us are turning our attention to preparing for the winter holidays. From pulling the artificial Christmas tree out of the attic to digging out “It’s A Wonderful Life” on DVD, we’re all busying ourselves to make our homes warm and festive for visiting friends and relatives, as well as creating memories for our immediate families. Many holiday decorators also chose to decorate the outside of their homes, stringing lights and adding festive lawn ornaments. Decorating for the holidays is a wonderful tradition; this article will help you do so safely and with style.

Before you begin

Pull out and untangle any existing strings of lights you have and carefully check the wires and bulbs for damage. Look for frayed wire, broken bulbs or areas where the wire sheathing has become thin or brittle. Do not use any string of lights with damaged wire. Plug the lights in and replace any burnt out bulbs. If the string does not light at all, check the fuse in the plug, which is usually found under a hinged flap. Most lighting strings come with extra bulbs and fuses, or you can buy replacement kits containing these two items in the store where you purchased your lights originally.

If you’ve decided to buy new lights and decorations, make sure you purchase items that are made to be outdoors. Interior Christmas lights are not designed for outdoor use. Interior lights do not have the features that protect the wires and sockets from the elements like exterior lights do. Never buy any electrical product that does not have the UL seal, meaning the product meets the stringent requirements of the Underwriter’s Laboratory.

Gather safety equipment and materials

To install your exterior decorations, you’ll need several items.

A ladder - Choose either an a-line self-supporting ladder or a ladder that can lean against the side of your home.

Hanging hardware - Christmas lights should be attached to the roof with clips or hooks, never directly nailed or stapled. It’s very easy to drive a nail or staple point through the wire sheathing, which can both cut the power wire or allow moisture onto the wire. Remember what you learned in elementary school – water and electricity do not mix.

Extension cords - Chances are good you will need to use an extension cord to plug in all your lights.

While you’re decorating

Ladder safety - Follow all the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular ladder, especially related to with what angle you can safely lean a straight ladder against your home. Make sure the ground you place the ladder on is level; adjust the feet on your ladder if necessary to give yourself a firm base on which to balance. Use both hands and place feet firmly on each rung before moving to the next to avoid slips and falls. It’s no holiday if you have to go to the emergency room.

Electrical safety - Pardon me for sounding like your mom, but electricity is not a toy! It’s a great tool, it’s invaluable to our daily lives, but electricity can be dangerous. Be smart when you do anything electrical around your home, even if it’s as simple as hanging holiday lights.

As mentioned above, never nail or staple wires directly to your home, use clips and hooks to drape the electrical wire. It’s fine to connect more than one string of lights together, but read directions carefully. Most exterior lights can have two connected strings and most interior lights can safely have up to three connected strings. Use a strip of electrical tape to secure connections between strings, which will keep the ends from disconnecting and protect the connection from the elements. Cover the stray female end of the last string of lights with a strip of electrical tape as well.

Hanging lights

Once you’ve installed your hanging hardware – either a rack with clips or a strip with hooks – gently drape the strings of lights over hooks or secure into clips. Remember to plan your spacing on the lights, not the wire, as most people who view your holiday decorations will only see them after dark.

During the season

Check wires regularly - Throughout the holiday season, check the electrical wire on your string of lights for frays or other damage. Replace burned out bulbs and fuses as soon as possible, and make sure the decorated areas of your home stay free of debris or excess moisture. Check the connections periodically as well, making sure your electrical connections stay secure.

Alyssa Davis writes and designs for Metal-Wall-Art.com and she is happy to share many ideas on creating stylish interiors with iron wall art and music wall hangings.

Photos of holiday lights:
http://www.superstuffpartyrental.com/christmaslighting.html
http://decoratedhouses.blogspot.com/2007/12/200000-christmas-lights.html