Want to start getting into the Christmas spirit this summer?
While our American counterparts have the luxury of a white Christmas, us Aussies have to put in a little more effort to make things feel like Christmas. And if you want to bring this into your own home or office, Christmas lighting is definitely the way to go.
Here are some Christmas lighting tips to make your home or office stand out:
#1. Use LEDs
While it can be tempting to purchase cheaper incandescent lighting, LEDs are 100% worth the investment. They are safer, use less energy, and last a lot longer.
Since most people like to start putting up their Christmas decorations early on in December and some even keeping them up well into the new year, LEDs are a must. In terms of safety, incandescent lights use heat to create light. Being in a bushfire prone country, this is a major safety hazard. Since LEDs don’t rely on heat for light, they are cheaper to keep running throughout the Christmas period and won’t burn out as easily. This means you’ll be able to save them for the many more Christmases to come.
#2. Start small and build it up
If you’re new to decorating for Christmas, it can be really intimidating if you try to match the displays of home’s who have been doing this for years.
Instead, keep things simple at first. Purchase a few rope lights to wrap around a tree or two to begin with. Once you get more comfortable, you can start adding in more lighting decorations to make your home or office stand out.
#3. Start inside
The easiest place to decorate with Christmas lights, is inside your home or office. Here, you can decorate without worrying about feeling embarrassed about your neighbours seeing your first few attempts.
Begin with your Christmas tree, if you have one, or around common areas like your living room or kitchen.
Since you’re indoors, you won’t have to worry as much about the safety precautions that you must take if you’re using outdoor lighting.
#4. Add lighting outside
If you’ve already decorated indoors and want to take things a step further, having a beautifully decorated exterior is the next step.
However, your number one priority is safety. Ensure that you use waterproof lights that are specifically designed for outdoor usage. Additionally, organising your cables so that no one is at risk of tripping is essential. Poor cable management can lead to personal harm, broken decorations, and a lot of headaches.
#5. Personalise it
The whole point of decorating your home or office is to get into the Christmas spirit and boost your overall mood.
While the standard yellow rope lights around a tree and a glowing red sled are safe options that will look amazing no matter what — why not have a little fun and add a touch of personality?
Look for some DIY decoration ideas on Youtube, decorate something other than a tree, and just get creative!
#6. Mix up the colours
In addition to personalising your decorations, mixing up your colours is an easy way to stand out.
Instead of standard yellow or white lights, add some splashes of red, green, and blue. These are all Christmas colours that can enhance the aesthetic of your Christmas lighting. You can even use cool blue lights to mimic the look of snow.
#7. Add several characters
Once you have your basic lighting in place, it’s time to add some fun characters. If you have children, this will be especially exciting for them.
You can get Christmas light displays which are shaped as animals such as reindeer, koalas, or even Santa Claus. If you want to take things up a notch, you can even purchase 3D light displays which look amazing at any angle.
Or, you can keep it simple with cute smiley faces on trees, doors, and more.
#8. Frame your tree
Did you already set up a beautiful tree inside your home?
Why not show it off to everyone outside and leave it next to a window? Take things a step further and frame the outside of your window with LED lights. Your tree will become a focal point for any passer-by.
#9. Add some music
If you have all your Christmas lights sorted but want to take another step further and really stand out from your neighbours — synchronising your lights to music can lead to stunning displays.
This is more advanced and it’s recommended that you speak to LED lighting experts.
Basically, you will have a control system that is connected to your LED lights. You can purchase light show systems that have this built-in and ready to use. Some even have built-in songs that have ready-made shows to use. Alternatively, if you’re knowledgeable in programming, you can create your own light shows.
