Few questions to help get me going

[Big D]

As you may have seen in another thread I made, this is my first Christmas to decorate so I am new to everything. I researched my answers below but I am curious to what you professionals are doing. Yes, I feel like you all are professionals compared to what I am used to seeing :-).

I am very thankful to have a forum like lightorama.com to find helpful information to speed up the process. I am a little behind schedule so I have to start ordering products Monday morning to get the ball rolling.


Questions:

1. What is everyone using to secure strands of lights on the roof? Just stapling them to the shingles? I have a new house so I'm worried about messing something up.

2. What is everyone using to hang the lights around the ends of the house (where the gutter would go or is)? I definitely don't want to staple into my vinyl.

3. What do you do with the extra lights. For an example, say I have a a strand of lights that is 25 feet long and I am using them on my roof to make 1 line of lights. If I only need 15 feet of lights to make the line of lights that I need, what do I do with the extra 10 feet? Do you just go back over the line of lights or somehow cut the extra lights off?

4. Is there a cheaper wholesale store online to buy large amounts of products (lights, candy canes, etc) online or is just as good to buy at a local wal-mart or elsewhere?

5. I have this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_308774-80668-80567_4294801217_4294937087_?productId=3094043&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Outdoor%2BHoliday%2BDecorations_4294801217_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1

I need some ideas. I want to add "Happy Birthday Jesus" somewhere…Should I do a pole on each side and hang a banner over it? I really like to do something with lights but I don't know how or what I should do. Thoughts or ideas?


I may end having more but this will definitely provide me with enough information to start ordering a large amount of products.

Thank you for any comments and/or suggestions.

Dustin

[Guest Don Gillespie]

Big D wrote:

As you may have seen in another thread I made, this is my first Christmas to decorate so I am new to everything. I researched my answers below but I am curious to what you professionals are doing. Yes, I feel like you all are professionals compared to what I am used to seeing :-).

I am very thankful to have a forum like lightorama.com to find helpful information to speed up the process. I am a little behind schedule so I have to start ordering products Monday morning to get the ball rolling.


Questions:

1. What is everyone using to secure strands of lights on the roof? Just stapling them to the shingles? I have a new house so I'm worried about messing something up.
Some people use light clips that slip under the shingle
2. What is everyone using to hang the lights around the ends of the house (where the gutter would go or is)? I definitely don't want to staple into my vinyl.
Again there are light clips for gutters and for vinyl I find it easy to slide the lights into the J-cannel hides all the cords.
3. What do you do with the extra lights. For an example, say I have a a strand of lights that is 25 feet long and I am using them on my roof to make 1 line of lights. If I only need 15 feet of lights to make the line of lights that I need, what do I do with the extra 10 feet? Do you just go back over the line of lights or somehow cut the extra lights off?
I personally just loop the lights back over the existing string no one is going to notice except you, other guys custom make strings of lights for an exact fit.
4. Is there a cheaper wholesale store online to buy large amounts of products (lights, candy canes, etc) online or is just as good to buy at a local wal-mart or elsewhere?
5. I have this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_308774-80668-80567_4294801217_4294937087_?productId=3094043&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Outdoor%2BHoliday%2BDecorations_4294801217_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1
CDI has great pricing but always look at your local stores never know what you are going to find.
I need some ideas. I want to add "Happy Birthday Jesus" somewhere…Should I do a pole on each side and hang a banner over it? I really like to do something with lights but I don't know how or what I should do. Thoughts or ideas?
First of all we do not know what your display even looks like if you update your profile and let us know what part of the country you live in you might be suprised to find that one of us doesn't live to far away and possibly might be able to help you out in person.

I may end having more but this will definitely provide me with enough information to start ordering a large amount of products.

Thank you for any comments and/or suggestions.

Dustin

Oh Ya welcome aboard and keep on asking questions the rest of the guys are more than likely setting up their display which I am about to do in an another hour, this time of the year seems to be the busiest as everyone is getting ready for light up. good luck.

[Big D]

Thanks don. Just the information I needed.

:dude:

[Steven]

Big D wrote:

1. What is everyone using to secure strands of lights on the roof? Just stapling them to the shingles?

My roof is made of steel shingles, so I hot-glued the lights to the roof. This makes them semi-permanent, but since at this point they're just white LEDs, they are practically invisible when turned off.

2. What is everyone using to hang the lights around the ends of the house (where the gutter would go or is)? I definitely don't want to staple into my vinyl.

I use nail-on plastic clips like the ones in the top of this picture:

I painted them the color of the house and nailed them to the bottom end of the rafters. You can barely see them:

3. What do you do with the extra lights.

Sometimes I space them closer together, sometimes I unplug a bulb to turn off half of the string and then toss them on the roof.

4. Is there a cheaper wholesale store online to buy large amounts of products (lights, candy canes, etc) online or is just as good to buy at a local wal-mart or elsewhere?

There are many. The best time to buy lights is February. If you get your timing just right, you can find great deals at local stores on about January 2nd.

I want to add "Happy Birthday Jesus" somewhere…

Did you know that the best historical evidence puts Jesus' birthday in mid-April, 4 B.C.?

[Big D]

Another great post.

Thanks Steven.

I am a little discouraged right now. I priced out everything I wanted today and it total around $2400.

I guess I'm having to back off some. LED lights are expensive. Just to run a string of lights around my house will cost me $365.

I am still going to decorate but just not as much. My goal is to rack up after Christmas for next year. Lowes said they usually sell stuff for 75% off so maybe I can catch many deals like that.

:dude: