Get matched with top holiday decorators in Bastrop, LA

When it comes to bang for your buck, LED lights are the clear winner for Christmas lights. While these will cost more upfront, they’ll last you for many holidays to come—far longer than your basic halogen bulbs. Along with that, they also save you big on energy costs throughout the season.

Good news, Christmas lovers: you can keep your lights up all year, provided you choose the type. It's critical that you choose holiday lights made for outdoor use, as these can withstand winter weather conditions. In addition, it's best to use LED lights instead of incandescent ones. LED bulbs can withstand temperature shifts and are energy efficient. 

If you are considering leaving your holiday lights up year-round, ask your lighting installer about permanent installation. This project costs around $3,500 but gives you about six to 10 years of LED lights and adds a pleasing aesthetic to your home.

Blinker lights come with a standard box of Christmas lights, so you don’t need to pay extra for them unless you’ve misplaced the ones from the original box. You can buy replacement Christmas blinker lights for about $8 per box. If you want to plan for future holidays, you can buy a value box of 24 replacement blinker bulbs for about $12. Also called flasher lights, the replacement bulbs often come in packages of six bulbs.

Take a picture of your house to easily replicate the same design for next year and keep the clips and accessories. When storing your lights, wrap them around cardboard so they don’t get tangled. Purchase a ladderless extension pole kit to hang your lights (around $30 to $50) for hard to reach areas.