Christmas Light Etiquette: 8 Things Homeowners Should Remember

Christmas lights are so ubiquitous during the holiday season that it’s almost a necessity or a requirement to have some installed in your house. In fact, it’s almost rude to your neighborhood if you’re the only one not to have any Christmas light installation at home.

But as with anything that is related to your household and your neighborhood, there are rules and etiquette to follow when it comes to installing Christmas lights properly. You might ask: “Should Christmas light installation be placed with consideration for your neighborhood?” The answer to this, of course, is yes. Here are some reminders:

When to put up Christmas light installation

In general, it is considered respectable to put up your holiday lights right after Thanksgiving or around late November. They can remain installed until January 6 (traditionally considered as the “Three Kings Day,” or the last day of the Christmas season according to the Catholic calendar). Of course, you’re allowed to put up decor even if you practice a different religion, but it is considered polite to follow these dates. Do a quick search of “Christmas light installation near me,” and you will easily find professionals who will be more than willing to do the job for you.

No lights all year round

There are homeowners who do not remove holiday decors and keep them all year round. This is considered disrespectful—and, quite honestly, an eyesore during the non-holiday season.

Be mindful of your neighbor’s property

Make sure your lights and decor do not impede your neighbor’s physical property and quality of life. Do not place blinding lights in areas where your neighbors might see them from inside their house, for instance. It would be polite to ask your neighbors if you’re unsure about installing decor that could affect them and trespasses their property.

Avoid bright lights

Festive lights are fine, as long as they don’t keep your neighbors awake because of how bright it is. Think of how your decors and holiday festiveness could affect others.

Keeping lights on all night long

However, if your lights do not adversely affect anyone, it is perfectly acceptable to keep them on the whole night—this is, in fact, expected during the holiday season.

No annoying sounds

Are you tempted to put up a Christmas light installation with sounds? This could add to the festive cheer of your house, but be wary of it as not everyone would appreciate hearing such sounds from your household. If you must, make sure the sound is at a minimum and that only you would hear ir—and that it is on only during a brief period of time during respectable hours.

Safety first!

Make sure your lights are not a safety hazard to you and your neighbors. Festive lights are fine, but too much of it, for instance, could be a fire hazard in your neighbor if not maintained properly. If your neighbors have lights that are possible hazards, make sure you are calm and respectful when you talk to them.

Be respectful

Avoid lewd or disrespectful light designs; keep everything child-friendly and holiday safe. These decors, after all, are for the fun of everyone, so it is best not to make people around you uncomfortable.

Comments are closed.