Nothing says Christmas is here more than a tangled set of tree lights. Lights are as important at this time of year as mince pies and stockings. There seems to be no end to how far people will go with their Christmas decorations and lights either with entire houses being lit up becoming relatively common. There are a few important things to take into consideration when purchasing and using Christmas twinkling lights however that if overlooked can cause frustration and in some cases even danger. This article acts as a guide to getting it right with Christmas decorations and how to make the most of them.

Knowing where you want to use your lights is the crucial first step towards decorating your home with lights. Are the lights going outside or inside? Are they being used in a tree or to illuminate something in particular? Once you have a plan you can begin to measure up. Nothing causes more frustration than a set of lights that doesn't quite reach far enough or is to long and has been clumped together at one end. Use a tape measure or other measuring device to find out more or less the exact length and size of area that is going to be decorated with lights as this will help you choose enough lights or a string of lights that is the right length. It is also crucial that the electrical sockets being designated for the lights are included in the plan as their location and distance from the area being illuminated need to be factored in.

If the lights are going to be used outside, it is crucial that outdoor lights are purchased for this. Using lights that are designed for indoors for this purpose can be very dangerous indeed as rain and indoor electrical wires do not mix well. Furthermore, outdoor lights are tougher and will withstand bad weather conditions. Indoor lights would be much more likely to break when banged around in the wind or battered by the rain.

The size of the bulbs and the lights themselves should also be considered early on. A very small tree lit up with very large light bulbs is not generally a great look and vice versa. If you are lighting up your house or an outside tree perhaps, you may want to choose lights that are fairly large as too small bulbs just won't provide much of an impact or dramatic Christmas effect. Sometimes a mixture of sizes can work very well for example the top of a Christmas tree can look good adorned with small, dainty bulbs whilst the bottom of the tree can look great with slightly larger bulbs with a more intense colour.

When choosing lights, pay close attention to the wattage as nothing is worse than a constantly tripping power supply in the home. You don't want the lights to go off every time a toaster is put on or a hairdryer is used. Make sure there is enough electricity to go around with the addition of Christmas lights around the house. Christmas lights generally come in a series circuit or a parallel circuit. If you are using a large number of lights then a parallel circuit may be better to use as when one bulb goes out the remaining lights stay illuminated. With a series circuit when one light goes out, they all go out until the offending bulb is found and replaced.

Indoor Christmas lights and outdoor Christmas lights are a great way to decorate the home at this time of year. By following the advice above, your home will look fantastic and undoubtedly get the neighbours talking! One final word of warning - If you are using a large number of Christmas lights to highlight your home, it may be wise to seek out the services of a professional electrician who will ensure everything is safe and functioning well.