Christmas lights?

[shmike]

I need to start stocking up on lights (and decorations) to decorate the house with.

I don't have the patience to pull off anything crazy like Trip and will probably stick with a pretty generic theme.

Where should I be looking to get the most bang for my buck? Do you guys just hit Wal-Mart / Target / etc or are there specialty sites I should be looking at?

Should I buy cheap shit and replace it every year or two or look for higher quality stuff?

Will the whole neighborhood envy me if I upgrade to LED's or are they not worth the hassle?

This is my first year decorating my very own house, yard, etc. Help me out guys!

[azoomm]

[looks at calendar] - September.

Good luck with your search. Trip is your best bet...

[Rider]

I just use the C-9 lights at Lowes. I use about 9 strings of lights and end up replacing 1 or 2 every year.

I also use about 50 strings of mini's in the trees and bushes but those are far less reliable and end up replacing at least 20 strings per year.

[Trip]

If you go led dont do junk like wally or target. Get professional strings. They will last longer. Cheap led are junk that wont last a few seasons. Pro leds run about 15 bucks per string. I can get you a distributer via net if you want.

Incans go as cheap as possible. Because you can replace everything after christmas for dirt cheap. I only buy after christmas at wally world at 75 percent off.

[shmike]

[looks at calendar] - September.

Good luck with your search. Trip is your best bet...

I know it is early. I'd rather start buying now than to have to drop lots of money in addition to all the other holiday expenses.

I was going to PM Trip but figured there'd be some bargain hunters out there with some ideas.

Besides, I'm sure AL and Kaneman can turn this into a 12 page thread about whether or not Christmas light should be referred to as "Holiday lights" and the HOA's right to tell an individual homeowner how many strands of lights is acceptable for one-armed Vietnam vets who left their keys in the car. :idk:

[Trip]

My advice would be go incan for this season. Then you won't spend a lot on lights this year and you will get to see how many strings you need and what kind you like before you pick a route you want to go with your display.

LEDs are usually gone quick in stores though, so usually they don't really have much selection in stores after christmas on sale. So a good LED display is usually bought at cost. If you really want LEDs, buy them exactly what you want and stick to it. Sales on LEDs usually lead to bad LEDs.


Also, if you want to do colors, buy all your lights at one place and don't try to mix colors. Colors can vary a lot between stores for LED and incan's

[shmike]

My advice would be go incan for this season. Then you won't spend a lot on lights this year and you will get to see how many strings you need and what kind you like before you pick a route you want to go with your display.

LEDs are usually gone quick in stores though, so usually they don't really have much selection in stores after christmas on sale. So a good LED display is usually bought at cost.


Also, if you want to do colors, buy all your lights at one place and don't try to mix colors. Colors can vary a lot between stores for LED and incan's

That sounds good.

I actually hit some stores last year after Christmas to snatch up some deals but the shelves were pretty much empty.

When do you go? Right on the 26th?

[wildchild]

I can get you a distributer via net if you want.



you know you have the sickness bad when you can say this. LOL

[Trip]

That sounds good.

I actually hit some stores last year after Christmas to snatch up some deals but the shelves were pretty much empty.

When do you go? Right on the 26th?

I check selection on the 26th. If it is low, I buy. If it is a lot, I wait. 26th is 50%. I usually check every day on stock til it gets low or goes to 75%. If it high stock and goes to 75% off I buy like a mad man. I normally have about 500+ boxes of lights waiting on me for next season. I don't have that much this year cause I am taking a year off because I am taking my vacation during light season and don't want my display destroyed while I am not home.

I am a big Incan fan. They just feel more like christmas too me, instead of overly bright LEDs. The pro ones are better than store bought cause you can get smaller LEDs to cut down on the brightness, but they are hella expensive for my large display. My biggest gripe with incans is the colors fade way too quick, so I replace my colors every year, but they are cheap so it isn't an issue. I normally get a string for .25. LEDs are way too bright for my taste, but their colors are brilliant and don't fade. There are pros and cons to both, you will be able to see after you do your setup and decide what you like and what you don't.

[101lifts2]

A christmas tree is a pagan symbol. Just sayin...lol

[shmike]

I check selection on the 26th. If it is low, I buy. If it is a lot, I wait. 26th is 50%. I usually check every day on stock til it gets low or goes to 75%. If it high stock and goes to 75% off I buy like a mad man. I normally have about 500+ boxes of lights waiting on me for next season. I don't have that much this year cause I am taking a year off because I am taking my vacation during light season and don't want my display destroyed while I am not home.

I am a big Incan fan. They just feel more like christmas too me, instead of overly bright LEDs. The pro ones are better than store bought cause you can get smaller LEDs to cut down on the brightness, but they are hella expensive for my large display. My biggest gripe with incans is the colors fade way too quick, so I replace my colors every year, but they are cheap so it isn't an issue. I normally get a string for .25. LEDs are way too bright for my taste, but their colors are brilliant and don't fade. There are pros and cons to both, you will be able to see after you do your setup and decide what you like and what you don't.

$.25 per string!?? :eek:

You're not getting prices like that at Wal-Mart are you?

[Trip]

$.25 per string!?? :eek:

You're not getting prices like that at Wal-Mart are you?

I was, but they went up last year to $2.26 normal price. So now it's more like .64 a string if I get 75% off.

[shmike]

For the mini lights, what is a good or normal spacing?

I've seen everything from 2.5 - 6".

[defector]

Ugh. Christmas lights. I think we need new ones this year, too.

My MIL bought us a motorized Santa (that my wife hated) two years ago.
So I took it, had his suit dyed black, and painted his face like Alice Cooper. Satan Claus is a big hit when we break out the Halloween decorations. MIL hasn't figured it out yet.

[Trip]

For the mini lights, what is a good or normal spacing?

I've seen everything from 2.5 - 6".

depends on brightness, if you get a really bright LED, you want 6" spacing to maximize length. If it's dim, you need more of them.

4" is about right for incans.

[LeeNetworX]

We've always shopped for Christmas decorations the day after; insane sales at the home improvement stores and even places like Walgreen's / CVS and Sears. Depending on the store the pickings may be slim, but there's good stuff to be found.