How can I save money on Christmas lights?

• <div><p>First of all, don’t shop for bargain lights—often, you’ll end up with a faulty or broken strand, full of dead bulbs or less-than-luminous brightness. Choose quality lights that will last you many years—LED lights have been known to last as long as 100,000 hours. Second, plan ahead and purchase lights for next year’s Christmas during this year’s post-holiday sales. Finally, have a vision and a plan—if you know the measurements of your home, including any windows, doors, and outside bushes you wish to light up, you should be able to only purchase the necessary lights and not more than you need.</p></div>

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Q: How can I save money on Christmas lights?

• <div><p>First of all, don&rsquo;t shop for bargain lights&mdash;often, you&rsquo;ll end up with a faulty or broken strand, full of dead bulbs or less-than-luminous brightness. Choose quality lights that will last you many years&mdash;LED lights have been known to last as long as 100,000 hours. Second, plan ahead and purchase lights for next year&rsquo;s Christmas during this year&rsquo;s post-holiday sales. Finally, have a vision and a plan&mdash;if you know the measurements of your home, including any windows, doors, and outside bushes you wish to light up, you should be able to only purchase the necessary lights and not more than you need.</p></div>

Q: Should you tip holiday decorators?

• <div><p>It&rsquo;s unnecessary to tip holiday decorators, and most professionals won&rsquo;t expect it, but it&rsquo;s a nice gesture to show your appreciation for their work. If the expert goes above and beyond to keep your delicate decorations safe, or they&rsquo;re hanging your exterior lights and putting out lawn decorations in freezing temperatures or inclement weather, a tip between <b>10% and 20%</b> of your total will be appreciated. Large jobs that include interior and exterior work are also good opportunities to tip, especially if your expert is performing a rush job close to the holidays.</p></div>

Q: How can you tell which Christmas light is burned without a tester?

• <div><p>If you need to visually inspect your Christmas lights to determine which are good and which need replacement, there are a few things to look for. First, look for discoloration, such as a dark spot or two on the inside of the glass. The spot is an indication of a burnt filament. Also, look for missing filaments, cracked bulb glass, and broken sockets.</p></div>

Q: How can I prevent Christmas lights from becoming damaged?

• <div><p>You can take a few steps to prolong the life of your holiday lights. Make sure to replace burnt-out bulbs as quickly as possible to avoid overloading the rest of the circuit and knocking out more lights. Before packing them up each year, plug each strand into the wall to confirm everything is still working. Wrap the lights carefully back into their original packaging or something similar&mdash;winding a strand tightly together or leaving it to hang loose in a storage bin can lead to frayed or damaged wiring. </p></div>

Q: How can I hang Christmas lights on my ceiling without nails?

• <div><p>You now know you can hang Christmas lights with adhesive hooks, but if you need alternatives, consider pushpins, tacks, staples, and adhesive putty (for small projects). If you have a drop ceiling, look for clips and hooks designed for the metal framing. </p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Holiday Decorating pros in Ankeny, IA

*The Angi rating for Holiday Decorating companies in Ankeny, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Holiday Decorating needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Holiday Decorating companies in Ankeny, IA is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Holiday Decorating needs.

Last update on October 23, 2025

Reviewed in March 2025
Signed up in mid December, told me it would be installed in 2 months, after a month I reach out and they say it will be another 2 months till install. Still waiting on install and it’s approaching mid March. Don’t know why expectations could not have been set correctly. Owner reached out to me...
Zen Windows Des Moines
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Reviewed in December 2024
Matt and crew arrived on time. They had the equipment they needed. Carefully mannered equipment through the yard avoiding any damage to lawn decorations. Worked efficiently as a team. Left the site cleaner than when they arrived. Very professional. Highly recommend. A satisfied...
Green Tree Care and Habitat Restoration
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Reviewed in August 2016
Gloria is wonderful to work with! She came in and totally redid our living room area. Rearranged furniture, added coordinating decor which was pulled from other rooms in the house and some she brought with her. Hung pictures that I wanted to integrate into the room, painted some frames on the...
Windy Ridge Interiors
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Reviewed in July 2015
I called Hometown plumbing right before the 4th of July weekend - I had already called about a dozen other plumbers who couldn't fit me into their schedules. The lady helping with scheduling was very nice and professional. She had to check with the technician about fitting me in on very little...
Hometown Mechanical, Inc.
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Reviewed in December 2014
Mark was so helpful in making our transition from the Chicago area to Ankeny a smooth one. We really appreciated his insights on the area and real estate experience. He was also very flexible and it was so easy to get in touch with him, even on weekends and holidays. He helped us figure out what...
Charter House Real Estate
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Reviewed in November 2014
At the age where doing own outdoor holiday lighting is not possible. Received 2 referrals for "Christmas Decor." Entered into a three year contract for professional lighting. What a difference! Steve is great, knowledgable and our outdoors look great. How easy they put up, use timers, and...
Christmas Decor
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Reviewed in October 2013
It was great working with Laurie. She was highly recommended by a friend and after seeing positive reviews on Angie's List, I contacted her. I had a challenge on my hands because one of the rooms to be painted was a former nursery that had decorative painting. Laurie did an excellent job from...
The Wonderful Painter
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Reviewed in May 2013
Mark Jorgensen was prompt, efficient and friendly and always kept us informed. His workmanship was outstanding -- the best painting job we have had! Mark was very patient and helpful while we considered making some changes to our project. He kept our home very clean and neat and was most...
Jorgensen Decorating
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Reviewed in August 2012
I know a lot of guys in the glass industry that I went to school with and have used Sassman Glass in the past for my business needs. But Steele Glass really did a superior job on our new home. They were on time, polite and cleaned up the mess. The shower is a work of art with polished edges...
STEELE GLASS & MIRROR
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Reviewed in July 2012
I've had several rooms painted by Modern Decorators and have been happy with the results.
MODERN DECORATORS
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Holiday Lighting Service

Holiday Lighting Add or Remove

Handyman for Multiple Small Project Service

Verified Reviews for Holiday Decorating pros in Ankeny, IA

Find Holiday decorators in Ankeny

Illuminate Lighting

Illuminate Lighting

Shinecraft

Shinecraft

Behnke Built LLC

Behnke Built LLC

NextGen care

NextGen care

Xtreme Services

Xtreme Services

CPW GROUP

CPW GROUP

Innovative Solutions Property Maintenance

Innovative Solutions Property Maintenance

LawnOxygen Quality Landscape Solutions LLC

LawnOxygen Quality Landscape Solutions LLC

Roomers by Jill

Roomers by Jill

M&NHandymanservices

M&NHandymanservices

The Ankeny, IA homeowners’ guide to holiday decorating services

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