Get matched with top holiday decorators in Leadwood, MO

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.

Christmas lights typically do not need to be grounded like electrical circuits in your home do. However, it's crucial to use outdoor outlets equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) for added safety. GFCIs can help protect against electrical shocks and are recommended for outdoor electrical connections when using Christmas lights.

The cost for professional holiday light installation averages around $430, with a typical range of $220 to $675. However, prices can be as low as $100 for simple projector setups or exceed $1,200 for extensive displays. The total cost depends on factors like the display's complexity, your home's size, labor rates in your area, and the type of lights used. For example, installation on a small, one-story home may cost $250 to $600, while a multi-story home over 4,000 square feet could cost $500 to $1,800. Costs can also be broken down by location (e.g., high roofs at $3.50–$6 per linear foot) or by the type of light strand, with prices ranging from $4 for basic incandescent strands to over $60 for color-changing LED strands.