If you’re trying to ward off the winter doom and gloom, what better way to do so than with a friendly(ish) Christmas lighting competition?
Christmas is a beautiful time to spend with loved ones and get into the community spirit. To try and encourage some festive cheer, some places across the UK organise Christmas competitions. Many of which are centred around cool lighting displays!
If you’re hoping to take part, here are some tips to help you beat your neighbours…
- Plan it in advance
Like most things in life, it helps to plan it in advance!
To start with, grab a notepad and pen and have a look at your house. Look at areas that will lend themselves to getting a festive makeover.
Then, once you’ve decided where your Christmas lights will go, think logistics. Are there plug sockets that you could use to ensure your house remains lit up for the duration of the competition? If not, how will you work around this?
If you’re concerned about cutting your energy bill, then don’t worry. You can still take part! Where you can, make sure that your lights are LEDs. Or invest in solar-powered or even battery-powered lights.
- Get good quality lights
Sometimes, you get what you pay for. Although it might be tempting to buy some cheap lights, often the quality is just not the same – and might cost you your win!
By investing in some good quality outdoor lights, you can ensure your Christmas display not only looks better – but is safer.
- Start early
Unless you’re a Christmas elf, putting lights up takes time. To ensure you don’t end up with a half-finished display, give yourself plenty of time. After all, if you end up completing your display ahead of time, you can always sit back and relax with a well-earned cup of tea.
If you can’t start early, be sure to draft in the whole family for that Christmas team effort.
- Don’t forget walkways and pathways
When you’re taking part in a Christmas light competition, it’s important to light up your pathways and walkways to guide viewers through your winter wonderland.
If you don’t, as well as potentially costing you the competition, you could end up with injuries if people trip over in the dark. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
- Light up anything in sight
You only get one chance to win. So, it’s important to go all out. Make sure to light up anything in your front porch or garden – including any trees!
Final thoughts…
Once you’ve done this, the hard work is done! Now all that’s left to do is to sit back and relax as your neighbours gaze in awe at the marvelous creation you’ve made this Christmas.
