Creative Christmas Lighting Ideas
Make the Season Special

The holidays are approaching quickly, and Christmas lighting ideas are a popular topic right now as Homeowners Associations, neighborhoods, businesses and individuals think of new and different projects.

With the many types of lights available, this is an excellent time to focus on something fun and festive without going over the top on lighting.

One of the most flamboyant, yet beautiful, displays of Christmas lighting ideas was created by the Osborne family, who kept adding more lights year after year until they were ordered to dismantle the whole display. Walt Disney Studios stepped in and moved it to Florida. It is one of the most popular attractions, because nearly everyone loves color, lights and beauty.

This year, why not try something new, but not quite on the scale of the Osborne lights or the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

When someone approaches your house, have a cheerful greeting with three or four wreaths hung on the door, from top to bottom in order of size. You can place small solar lights in the wreaths and fasten them with beautiful ribbon. Another option is the battery-operated tea candles, which can nestle snugly in the bows.

Many homes have no gutters, which makes it difficult to hang the incredible icicle lights outside. This year, hang them on the inside of the windows that face towards the front of the yard and towards neighbors.

Other Christmas lighting ideas include setting up a Christmas string tree with clear lights in the yard or on a large porch, or a multi-color LED light show cone tree. You will be surprised at the warm, welcoming look your yard and house portray with these small touches for the season.

One favorite is the set of small spiral Christmas trees. Each one is two feet tall and has a swirl of white lights and a brilliant star on top. They stand close together and are elegant.

Most likely, your season lighting theme will not air on national television, but it could air on a local channel covering the neighborhoods. Have someone record the family setting up the display and put it on YouTube for friends and relatives far away to share.

When it comes to television coverage for the holidays, the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is one of the prime events. There is quite a bit of history woven into the ceremony. President Calvin Coolidge lit up a balsam fir in 1923 on Christmas Eve.

There were over two thousand green, red and white light bulbs on the tree, creating a mighty cheer from the crowd. Schoolchildren made and donated decorations during World War II, as metals went towards the war effort.

A fresh tree arrived each year until the planting of a Colorado blue spruce at the Ellipse in 1978. Christmas lighting ideas resulted in minimal lights in 1979 and 1980 due to the hostage situation in Iran. Solar energy lit the tree in 1995, with LED lights used in 2007. The tree, beautifully decorated and lit in December, continued to awe the crowds who visited daily throughout December.

High winds took the tree down on February 19, 2011. A Colorado blue spruce from a New Jersey nursery was planted in March, according to the National Park Service.

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