Get matched with top holiday decorators in Ketchum, OK

Yes, you can plug outdoor lights into an extension cord, but it must be one rated for outdoor use. This method will allow you to hang Christmas lights outside your house or yard by connecting it to an outdoor power source. Be sure to purchase and use an outdoor-only extension cord.

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.

No one has figured out a perfect solution to this problem. Tying icicle lights down or adding weights to them can help, but it’s a very time-consuming process and far from foolproof. If your winters are too windy, we suggest simply switching away from icicle lights to straight runs of non-dangling lights along the edge of your roof.

How many string lights can be on one outlet depends on a number of varying factors, including the total wattage of your circuit, the type of lights, the energy needs of the lights, and cord specifications. It’s better to play it safe here to protect your circuit, so figure out the max wattage of your circuit, compare that to the lights, and move on from there. Generally speaking, LED string lights require less energy than incandescent bulbs, translating to a higher number of lights per circuit.