Extend the festive cheer beyond your home by hanging outdoor Christmas lights. From twinkling icicles to fun figurines, get ready for the holidays by planning ahead and learning to hang lights like a pro.
"Hanging up your outdoor decorations is no easy task and if you're unprepared, it can become tedious and spoil the festive fun," Adam Pawson, Head of Digital at Safestyle UK, says. "
Need a helping hand? Take a look at the five tips for hanging outdoor lights like an expert...
1. Take safety precautions
Christmas lights are being strung all around the UK, so it's important to familiarise yourself with all the relevant safety precautions. Before you begin, prevent any electricity hazards by making sure that your lights are suitable for outdoor use and won't be affected by rainy winter weather.
"Like any big task, hanging your outdoor Christmas lights can be daunting, but by getting organised you can make the job run smoothly," Adam says. "I'd recommend that you check that your lights are working properly before attempting to hang them on your windows or doors, that way you can spot any blown bulbs before they're hanging at awkward heights. If your lights are powered by the mains supply, you should also check that the source is at a suitable distance from your chosen surface."
2. Test the length of your lights
Enjoying holiday lights is easy, but trying to hang them can be a challenge. To begin with, test the length of your lights. Whether you want to create a twinkling border or design an icicle effect, it's important to ensure you have enough wire to reach the full length of your window.
Adam adds: "Most people get too excited and rush straight into the installation of their outdoor Christmas lights, but the easiest way to avoid mistakes is to test the length of your lights at the beginning."
3. Use clipper hooks
DP Packet Of 300 Christmas Baubles / Tree Ornaments Hangers / Hooks
Clipper hooks for outdoor Christmas lights are a brilliant way to keep them secure over the holidays.
"To achieve the most impressive effect, one of the more important things to consider is the distance between each hook," advises Adam. "Try to place each one at regular intervals, leaving enough space to allow for slack. If you're creating an icicle effect, space the hooks closer together so that the weight of the lights is more supported."
4. Plug the lights in backwards
When you feel ready to hang your decorations, take the end of the string of lights and plug them into your power source. Then, without switching them on, slowly work backwards across the prepared window.
Adam explains: "Try to avoid the cable hanging very loosely, instead you should aim for the lights to snugly fit on the hooks without tugging on the socket. Once you've reached the end, ensure that everything is tidy and evenly spaced."
5. Switch your lights on
Now it's time to dazzle your neighbours and switch the lights on! "Take a step back to look at your lights and if there are any overhanging cables or uneven dips, make the necessary adjustments," Adam says.
"Once you're happy with them, switch your lights on at the source and admire your hard work!"
10 solar garden lights to illuminate your outdoor space
Add a Moroccan feel to your outdoor space with these bronze John Lewis & Partners Solar Powered Moroccan Line Lights. The 20 Moroccan-style metal lantern lights will be sure to add a charming atmosphere to your outdoor space after dark.
This pretty string of globe lanterns comes with a solar panel, and each bulb is 50cm apart at a total length of 4.5m. Hang these from a tree or garden parasol to illuminate your outdoor space, perfect for parties and BBQs.
Decorate your garden or passageways with these quaint outdoor lights. Solar powered and boasting a dainty jar-shaped design, it's crafted from glass and can be easily placed at your preference thanks to its knotted rope handle.
AKAWEDDING 20 LED Solar Powered Retro Bulb String Lights Garden Outdoor Hanging Fairy Patio & Garden Wedding Light Decorations Christmas
Give your outdoor space a vintage makeover with these retro-style string lights. The weather resistant design means you can hang them all year-round to any patio, balcony, pathway, tree or trellis.
These marker lights are a great way of bringing some subtle lighting to your garden. Perfect for picking out a path, they're made from stainless steel and built to last. They're solar powered garden lights, meaning they are the ultimate low-maintenance lighting.
Perfect for enhancing the atmosphere in your outdoor space, these Solar Dandelion Outdoor Stake Lights will add a soft glow to your outside space. Equally perfect for parties and relaxing outdoors, the lights have a wonderful simplicity that adds character and warmth to your garden or terrace.
Add character to your outdoor space with these wire solar chicks, which last up to six hours. Adorable and functional.
These charming bird solar garden lights are easy to install - simply clip on to a branch, bush, tree or fence. They are powered by sunlight and automatically illuminate in the dark with a lighting time of up to 10 hours.
Lights4fun Set of 12 Mushroom Solar Decorative Garden Stake Lights Green Cable Warm White LED IP44 Waterproof
These fun mushroom solar-powered lights last up to eight hours of illumination each night in summer. They are 20cm in height and there is 50cm between each mushroom. Make sure not to miss out on getting your hands on these...
MatchstickShop Foxy Fox Garden Solar Lighting - Garden Lighting - Garden Decor - Gardening Gifts
No garden or outdoor space should be complete without a Foxy Fox solar-powered light. Foxy Fox is handmade with decorative metal and beautiful scroll-effect cut out detail that creates a pretty pattern when the silhouette is illuminated at night.
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
