Holiday Lights Part 1

Well, it's getting around Christmas time and you thought I wouldn't have a project for you. There's lights to hang, trees to put up, etc. Preparation and the ability to untangle those lights from last year is the key to this. I know my friend, been there done that. But behold I learned, so can you! I always start looking outside to see the placement of the lights and assorted stuff for the lawn. Of course the logistics of wiring them all together w/o starting a fire, (that's why they make fire pits), is always something we put off. Usually until another voice is heard from! Well, it's time. If you live where it snows, I feel for you. But we must tread on.
1st, We need a plan of attack, try not to approach this like Chevy Chase in his movies. We need something to hang the lights from the gutters, eaves, fascia board (flat wood that covers the eaves), under the roof tiles. I like to use a hanger that doesn't leave a mark or hole, split wood, bent gutter etc. (Home Depot™ & Walmart™) Check outdoor lighting section. They make a plastic type of hook for this, it works on just about everything you hang up there. Good, are they in a ball, knot, wrapped around from last year? We need to untangle them, find the 2 ends and lay them in opposite directions. Now start the process, weaving and pulling and stretching you know the drill! 1st cup of nog down. they should be free of distress and knots. Now we can proceed. Find your outdoor outlets and place the strings (male side) near there. The female side is for plugging multiple strings together. See we've already started, lay off the egg nog until this project is well in hand. If you don't have outdoor plugs get one of those outdoor plugs that you can plug multiple strings into. Along w/ this use only outdoor extension cords. Of course their UL approved, aren't they all? I put a couple of the hooks at the beginning of the string to hold them up until I can stretch the rest over the span of the gutter. Unless you have help, this works pretty good. Now continue, adding the hooks as you go, You did check them 1st? okay, plug them in before you hang them! They all work? Make sure you leave the end to plug in, closest to the plug you're going to use, even if their to short we can add an extension cord here. I try to run them as to where they are going to go in the garage at that one plug you have, here you want to put the timer, . Pretty easy huh? Okay, that went smooth and your done with the upper stuff, you know Santa, Reindeer, Stars, whatever else you put on the roof or just up on the wall. If we're firmly on the ground the hard stuff is done and we can celebrate w/ more nog! Do the same w/ your ground fixtures so the cords end up at the outdoor plug again. You should now have all the lights done, the lawn stuff and one cord coming from the outdoor plug to the timer. Set the timer, Auto on/off it makes it a lot easier for the late night show you intend to do! If you have outdoor plugs just get a timer. Plug the timer into the plug that will suck all the energy of the neighborhood. Everything works! Great go finish off the nog, you were saving for this moment. Leave the timer turned on to automatically turn on and off the lights. See now you don't have to go out there and do the old 20th century on/off routine. Or call that pro! They really do have people who hang lights! Next, the dreaded Christmas tree. I will show you later how to wrap up everything so that next year this is a breeze! See Ya