Get matched with top holiday decorators in Brady, NE

The most likely cause of accidentally flashing lights is that a regular bulb has been replaced with a flash bulb by accident. If that’s not the case, you should look for a bulb on the strand that is not quite seated properly and will lose its connection when it’s touched or moved.

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—winding a strand tightly together or leaving it to hang loose in a storage bin can lead to frayed or damaged wiring. 

Professional holiday decorating services cost between $300 and $2,500 or more, with an average cost of about $1,500. The total price depends on the size of your home, the extent of the work, your location, and whether materials are included. Simple interior decoration may cost around $300, while a combination of interior and exterior work often totals around $800. For large or extensive design services, you could pay $2,500 or more. Common service costs can include: exterior holiday light installation ($400), Christmas tree decoration ($200–$600), interior holiday design ($50–$200 per hour), and holiday landscaping ($50–$100 per hour). Note that some prices may only include labor, not the cost of the decorations themselves.

Yes, you can try removing and replacing each individual light bulb one at a time until you find the problem bulb—just be prepared for it to take a while. The bulb tester is worth the investment if you don’t have a lot of extra time to spare or need to test several strands of lights.