5-minute Project: Easy Shamrock Lantern
We love simple projects that use materials that are probably already on hand plus a seasonal item or two from a local hobby shop, dollar store, or dollar spot. For this project, we used an Ikea lantern, a string of battery lights, and a sheet of Shamrock stick on gels from a local dollar store….
5-minute project: Valentines Accent Jar
Now that Christmas is stored away, we are turning our attention to red, pink, and white for February. This is the first of our 5-minute series of projects as we focus on providing inspiration to repurpose lights for fun all year. Materials Pink storage jar Battery lights Double-sided tape Equipment Scissors (Don’t mind a rough…
Christmas Lights Recycling and The Weather Channel!
Last Saturday, December 4th, a producer from the Weather Channel called to ask me to talk about recycling Christmas lights – so exciting. It was a wonderful opportunity to reach out to let people know that lights don’t have to end up in a landfill. Unexpected Circumstances! It just so happens that I was 5…
Get this Look: Beautiful Blue Christmas Lights
With so many choices, folks regularly ask us how LED strings compare to separate bulbs and cords. This customer photo does a lovely job of showing the look of our plug-and-play blue light strings. Materials List 15 sets of blue C9 LED light strings 400 All Application Clips (or your favorite clip that works with…
Can I use a gilbert plug on a set of mini lights?
Hi, great question. Unfortunately, the answer is no for a couple of reasons. Mini lights should really not be cut because they are wired in series and their bulbs are rated for a specific current draw. The better choice is to find a string of lights whose length most closely matches your project requirements, or…
Will your C7 or C9 bulbs work in my cords?
Short answer: Maybe. Longer answer: We used to be able to answer this question with a resounding yes when the question was about the style of bulbs that come as threaded bulbs and threaded sockets of the style that folks have been using to install lights around their rooflines for decades. Now, there are a…
Can a C7 25-foot cord be cut?
Short and Long answer: If your 25-foot cord is made from a stranded heavier duty “lamp cord” that is wired in parallel, then yes, you can cut the cord to fit your project. This type of cord is shown in the image below. Parallel means that if one bulb is unscrewed from its socket the…
Can you mix C7 and C9 bulbs together (in the same cord)?
Short answer: No, they won’t fit into the same cord because they have different-sized bases. Longer answer: This is a great question, especially since we’ve had a larger number of first-time Christmas lights customers this season. We have heard this question in this form several times over the last couple of months along with the…
How many light strings do I need to wrap my tree?
We’ve all seen tree trunks wrapped for Christmas, for weddings, and events. They are truly glorious. LED light strings with specifications allowing 100’s of feet of light to be run on a single outlet has revolutionized the density and number of lights that can be installed. But how many light strings will I really need?…
Get This Look: Lighting wreaths without an outlet
A customer recently left a review about how 12-volt lights plus an alligator to accessory socket adapter was used to light an outdoor subdivision sign. We hear from quite a few folks looking for a solution to this type of installation problem, so we thought we’d share it. Great for Solar Powered Wreaths We have…
Get this Look: Lighting trees and rooflines on the Texas Coast
We were so impressed by the way the Austin-based company, Let’s Retreat Outdoors, used warm white LED Christmas light strings in a recent retail installation that we thought you’d be inspired as well. These photos are from projects installed on the Texas coastline. We love the look of close-wound light strings accenting trees to welcome…
Corn and Lights Centerpiece
We enjoyed this quick project. We’ll set up more of them using a combination of containers like the one we used in the video and mason jars. Shop for battery lights.
Get This Look: Mixing curtain and icicle lights
We love this project! Decorated with traditional glass-bulb icicle lights and curtain lights, this house takes our breath away. Our icicle lights are longer than big box store sets so their effect is more dramatic. Curtain lights have the same structure as icicle lights but have 6-foot long icicles so they partner well together. Here…
Get This Look: Red and White Lights Line the Roofline
Traditional red and white lights outline a roofline.
Do I need anything else?
A quick checklist for putting together a complete Christmas lights order. We hear this question all year. With an unlimited way to combine Christmas lights into a customized, personalized display – large or small – it helps to ask a few questions before completing an order. We’ve organized questions to ask by product lines. C7…
How well do salt and lights mix?
Short answer: Ocean saltwater breezes combined with sun and high temperatures are hard on Christmas lights and light strings. Installation on or near a beach will shorten their lifespan. Longer answer We love nothing better than beaches, warm evenings, and a string of lights. They make a perfect recipe for good times with friends and…