Have you gotten your holiday lights hung up yet? Some people like to get their holiday lights up even before Thanksgiving, and others are still working on perfecting their lighting display right up until Christmas Eve. No matter which camp you fall into, our Luminocity lighting experts are here to help. We’re rounding up some safety and design tips for creating the best outdoor lighting display for your home this holiday season. 

Safety first

Staying safe is the first step to hanging up your holiday lights. Walk carefully if you are getting up on your roof, but we generally recommend using a ladder to stay safer and avoid roof damage. Invest in a high-quality ladder, and move the ladder as you need to instead of risking a fall by hanging off of it. And make sure to have someone spotting you from the ground whenever you’re using the ladder, especially if it is leaning against the building. 

Using proper voltage

When it comes to working with electricity, ensuring that you are using proper voltage is another major safety concern. Make sure that the lights you use are specifically rated for outdoor use and that there are not any burnt out or damaged bulbs. Check the recommendations from the manufacturer and note how many strands of lights you can string together safely. Outdoor lights should always be plugged into GFCI-protected circuits, or you can try a portable power stake to avoid having cords and strands running all over your yard or porch. 

Creating a game plan

At Luminocity, we think of crafting outdoor lighting displays as painting with light for beauty and elegance. Think about your property as a whole, and remember that you don’t just have to focus on one area like the roofline. Your lighting can draw your attention to something like your front entrance, or you can use it to draw attention away from another area of the home by enhancing a specific area. In addition to the roof, you could hang lights on the porch line, in trees or along stairs and pathways. 

Using more than just light strands

You may think of the brightly colored light strands when you think of a holiday light display, but there are so many more ways to show your Christmas spirit through outdoor lighting. Although our Luminocity team does not hang traditional Christmas lights, we do have colored lamps that we can place in your existing features, or we have colored cups we put on some of our other LED fixtures. 

Decorating for the weather

Speaking of LED fixtures, did you know that they can still melt snow? If we end up having a white Christmas, you may be concerned about the lights shining through the snow covering your lighting fixtures. In the past, when we had quartz halogen lights, it was a rare event to have a dark house because the heat of these lights quickly melted the snow.

One of the major advantages to LED fixtures is that they are more efficient and do not run as hot as quartz halogen. However, LED lights do still generate heat and will melt snow – just not as fast.If you are looking to light up your home after the holiday season, Luminocity would be happy to perform a consultation and help you determine the best lighting design for your home. Call us today at 317-537-8055 or reach out online to schedule your appointment.

The 2020 holiday season may look a lot different than past years but one of our favorite traditions, driving to look at holiday lights, is still a safe and fun way to celebrate. We love checking out the comprehensive list of Indianapolis light features from our friends at Indy with Kids, including commercial and residential displays. Our Luminocity team of lighting experts is excited to share a narrowed down selection of our favorite light displays in Central Indiana to get you and your family into the holiday spirit. 

Christmas Nights of Lights at the State Fairgrounds

The Christmas Nights of Lights is sure to be a family favorite as the largest synchronized light show in Indianapolis. The cost for this show is $7 per person or a $30 maximum per carload. Put on by Triton Light Shows, you will enjoy a wide variety of lights with synchronized music played on your car radio. Check it out from dusk to 10 p.m. all the way through Jan. 3, 2021!

Hawthorne Lights

This residential light display at 963 Hawthorne Drive in Carmel is one that your family won’t want to miss. The homeowners have created a synchronized light show that plays every night from 6-9 p.m. beginning on the hour and repeating every 20 minutes. If you tune your stereo to 100.1 FM you’ll hear the accompanying music from the comfort of your vehicle!

Avalon of Fishers Light Displays

The Avalon of Fishers neighborhood has a number of beautiful home light displays for residents and visitors to enjoy. 14125 Avalon East Drive has a 7-minute synchronized light show beginning at 6 p.m. each night with custom-made features and accompanying music on 100.1 FM. Silbury Hill Way has multiple houses with holiday decor, inflatable characters and lights to enjoy, as well as Milton Road and Avon Cross Way. You can’t really go wrong with driving through this neighborhood to get a good dose of holiday cheer. 

Welchel Drive Light Show

Head over to 15662 Whelchel Drive in Fishers to enjoy a daily light show running from 5-10 p.m. from your car. Tune into 88.3 FM to hear the accompanying music for this beautiful residential display. 

Myers Lake Drive Lights

Check out another musical light display at 119 Myers Lake Drive in Noblesville, opening every day at 5:45 p.m. Although the display closes at 10 p.m. on weekdays, you’ll get an extra hour to enjoy these lights on Friday and Saturdays. Tune into 100.1 FM to hear the music that goes along with this beautiful light show. 

Arbor Grove Synchronized Light Show

Located at 15744 Symphony Boulevard in Noblesville, this extensive residential light display actually has two different shows to enjoy from sunset to 10:30 p.m. On even-numbered days, the show lasts about 17 minutes with musical selections from Frozen, National Lampoon and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. On odd-numbered days, you’ll get to see a 10-minute show with music from the Nutcracker and the Grinch.

We hope that you and your family have a very happy 2020 holiday season! And don’t forget to contact our team of experts if you have any outdoor lighting needs this winter.