How to Hang Christmas Lights Outside: 9 Easy, Safe Steps

When Should You Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights?

Many people hang their outdoor Christmas lights in November and switch them on after Thanksgiving. Hanging them early has a practical advantage: you can work on a dry, mild day, before gutters freeze and roofs get slippery. You do not have to turn them on until you are ready.

Choose a calm, dry day with good daylight, and ask someone to help. A second person holds the ladder, hands you the lights and checks from the street whether the lines look straight. If you live in an HOA community, check its rules on timing and displays first.

Plan and Measure Before You Buy

The most common mistake is buying lights first and measuring later. Walk around the house and note what you want to light:

• Rooflines and gutters: measure each run in feet, from the outlet to the end.
• Windows and doors: measure around the frames you want to outline.
• Shrubs and trees: note their height and width; net lights are sold by size.
• Outlets: mark every outdoor outlet and check that it is GFCI-protected.

Add a few extra feet to every run for the distance from the outlet and for corners. Then make a simple sketch of which string plugs into which cord. This plan tells you how many strings, Christmas light clips and extension cords you need, and stops you from connecting too many strings end to end.

How many lights do you need?

• Rooflines, gutters and icicle lights: buy strings that add up to the measured length plus the run from the outlet. String length is printed on the box.
• Trees and shrubs: Lowe’s uses a rule of thumb of 100 lights for every foot and a half of tree or shrub you want to cover, so a 6-foot evergreen takes about 400 mini lights. Use more for a fuller look.
• Windows and doors: measure all four sides of each frame and add a little extra to reach the outlet.

Choosing Outdoor Christmas Lights

Use only lights marked for outdoor use, and buy them from a brand that shows a recognized safety certification mark, such as UL, ETL or CSA, on the packaging.

LED lights use far less energy than incandescent bulbs and stay cool to the touch, and many LED strings allow more strings to be connected end to end. The maximum is printed on the box or tag: never connect more than the manufacturer allows. The CPSC also advises using no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Looking for a set? Our best outdoor Christmas lights guide compares five LED and classic sets.

How to Hang Christmas Lights Outside in 9 Steps

1. Inspect and test every string

Unpack the lights and plug each string in on the ground. The CPSC and ESFI advise checking all sets for broken sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections. Throw away damaged strings instead of repairing them, and replace dead bulbs before the lights go up.

2. Lay out your power plan

Run the outdoor extension cords from the GFCI outlet to where each section of lights starts. Keep cords out of walkways and driveways, where they become a tripping hazard and get driven over, and do not run them through doors or windows where they can be pinched.

3. Attach the clips on the ground

Snap the Christmas light clips onto the light string at the right spacing before you climb, usually one clip per bulb or about every 12 inches. This saves a lot of time on the ladder and keeps the bulbs evenly spaced.

4. Start at the outlet

Begin at the end of the roofline closest to the power source, so the plug end is where you need it. Check that the plug is the right way round before you hang the first clip.

5. Hang the roofline lights

Clip the lights to the gutter lip or slide the clips under the edge of the shingles, working in short sections. Move the ladder often instead of overreaching. Keep the bulbs pointing the same way for a clean line.

6. Outline windows and doors

Use adhesive hooks made for outdoor use, or clips designed for window frames. Avoid nails, tacks and metal staples, which can pierce or pinch the cord insulation; plastic clips and hooks are made for the job and come off cleanly.

7. Decorate shrubs and trees

Drape net lights over hedges and bushes. To wrap a tree, start at the base of the trunk with the plug end near the cord, spiral up the trunk, then work out along the main branches and back, keeping the spacing even. Lowe’s advises starting high and working your way down on larger displays. Do not climb trees to reach the top, and keep lights and cords away from overhead power lines.

8. Connect and protect the plugs

Plug the strings into outdoor-rated extension cords and keep every connection off the ground, out of snow and standing water. A weatherproof connection box or cord cover adds protection in wet climates.

9. Add an outdoor light timer

Plug the display into an outdoor light timer so it switches on at dusk and off at bedtime. The CPSC advises turning off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house, and a timer makes that automatic.

Which Christmas Light Clips Should You Use?

Plastic Christmas light clips hold the lights securely without damaging the house or the cord. Choose the type that fits the surface:

Buy a few more clips than you counted. Some always break or fall, and a sagging section is much more noticeable than you expect from the street.

How to Hang Christmas Lights on Brick, Siding and Houses Without Gutters

Not every house has a gutter to clip into. These are the methods that work on other surfaces, without damaging the house:

Homes & Gardens calls brick clips the easiest option for brick. Mounting tape works too, but it can leave residue, lift paint and struggle in very wet or cold weather or with heavy glass bulbs. Drilled anchors with hooks are the most permanent choice, but they can chip the brick and leave holes.

Ladder Safety When You Hang Christmas Lights

Falls are the biggest risk of hanging outdoor Christmas lights. The CPSC reports about 160 holiday decorating injuries a day during the season, nearly half of them falls, and about 14,900 emergency room visits for decorating injuries in the 2023 holiday season.

• Set the angle right. OSHA advises placing the base of a leaning ladder one-quarter of its working length away from the wall.
• Extend it high enough. When you climb onto or work at a roof edge, the ladder should extend at least three feet above it.
• Keep three points of contact: two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand, when you climb.
• Choose the right ladder. ESFI recommends wooden or fiberglass ladders for outdoor electrical work, because metal ladders conduct electricity.
• Stay away from power lines. ESFI advises keeping yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from overhead lines.
• Do not overreach. Keep your belt buckle between the rails and move the ladder instead.
• Skip the roof in bad weather. Wet, icy or windy conditions make ladders and roofs dangerous.

Not comfortable on a ladder, or a two-story roofline? A professional installer, or lights limited to the ground floor, shrubs and porch, is the safer choice.

Power, Extension Cords and Timers

Electrical safety is the second half of how to hang outdoor Christmas lights safely. Follow these rules from ESFI and the CPSC:

• Use GFCI protection. Plug outdoor lights into outlets protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter. If your outdoor outlet does not have one, a portable outdoor GFCI is an easy fix.
• Use outdoor-rated cords. Extension cords must be marked for outdoor use, with an amperage rating that matches the lights you connect.
• Do not overload outlets. Spread the display over more than one circuit if you have a large display.
• Keep connections dry. Lift plugs and connectors off the ground and away from snow and standing water.
• Turn it off at night. Switch off the display when you go to bed or leave home, ideally with an outdoor light timer.

A photocell timer turns the lights on at dusk automatically and off after a set number of hours. Choose a model rated for outdoor use, with grounded outlets and a cover that keeps rain out. An outdoor smart plug does the same job from your phone and can follow sunset times automatically.

Taking Down and Storing Your Lights

Take the lights down on a dry day after the holidays. Unplug everything first, remove the clips gently and coil each string around a piece of cardboard or a cord reel to prevent tangles. Label each string with where it hangs, so next year goes even faster. Store the lights and Christmas light clips in a lidded bin in a dry place, and throw away any strings that were damaged during the season.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using indoor lights or indoor extension cords outside.
• Connecting more strings end to end than the manufacturer allows.
• Fastening lights with nails, tacks or metal staples through the cord.
• Leaving plugs and connectors in puddles or snow.
• Skipping the test on the ground and finding a dead string on the roof.
• Working on a ladder alone, in wind or on ice.
• Running cords through windows or doors where they get pinched.
• Leaving the lights on all night without a timer.

Christmas Light Clips, Timers and Cords to Consider

These three items make hanging outdoor Christmas lights faster and safer. For the lights themselves, see our best outdoor Christmas lights comparison.

Prices and pack sizes on Amazon change often. Check the ratings, outdoor certification and maximum load on the product page before you buy.

Related Guides

• Best outdoor Christmas lights: 5 LED and classic sets compared
• Outdoor Christmas decorating ideas
• Real vs artificial Christmas tree
• How to enjoy your patio during winter
• How to store patio furniture for winter

Frequently Asked Questions