Roof lights are a well-known staple of outdoor holiday decorations. These lights were first popularized by the fad of hanging lights around Christmas trees. The trend was first adopted in the United States where–by the mid 20th century–it had become customary to hang the lights not only on Christmas trees but also along buildings and homes. The trend soon spread around the world until it had reached all parts of the world, notably in China and Japan.

Films such as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation popularized the most extreme take on these lights. Sure, lighting up your house so it can be seen from space sounds like a great idea. But is it safe? Well… no. Unfortunately, hanging that many lights with so many crossing cables and crowded electrical outlets would be the fire hazard to end all fire hazards.

But have no fear, for there are still ways to make your home beautiful and festive without causing a blackout in your neighborhood.

Popular Light Designs:

Classic Lights: The most popular holiday lights take things back to the basics with C7 and C9 colored bulbs. These bulbs are large and have a greater individual presence than other light types, and the individual bulbs can often be picked out even from a significant distance away. They come in bright, bold colors, and make a festive statement. These lights are often strung along the edges of your roof, highlighting the shape of your home.

Mini String Lights: These lights are what most people think of when they think of modern holiday lights. Mini string lights are also used indoors to create not only a holiday feel but even a casual or romantic atmosphere. These lights are most often white but can come in a rainbow of colors as well. These lights can be draped around tree branches and bushes, secured to roof edges and even laced across a roof surface in a pattern. 

Icicle Lights: These lights scream glamour. The bulbs themselves are similar to mini string lights, however, the cord itself is uniquely shaped–while there is a primary lighted cable, there are also small 12-18” protrusions along the cord that hang gracefully from the surface they are attached to. When lit, these lights give the illusions of icicles dangling from your roof. These lights are primarily attached to the front of the home on the ledges where they can hang.

Lighting Color Trends:

Monochromatic: This light trend typically looks best with white string lights. They look classy and elegant, and the clean look makes a dramatic statement.

Alternating Colors: Another way to make a more playful statement with your home lights is to alternate two colors. The most popular colors done this way are red and green, but you can choose any two colors to switch things up! For example:

• Candy Cane: Red and White

• Underwater: Blue and Green

• Winter Wonderland: White and Blue

• Dramatic: Yellow and Blue

• American: Red White and Blue

Twinkle/Fade: A more advanced lighting trick involves the lights themselves changing colors. You can get really creative with this and program your lights to do crazy things like dance to music or spell out words. Or, you can stick with something more basic and simply have your lights flash or fade between a few different colors of your choosing. 

Hanging Lights Safely:

Nothing is more important than staying safe when hanging lights on your roof. You can easily hurt yourself or your home if you don’t know the proper way to install them.

• Work with a buddy. Make sure that you are never doing something this dangerous on your own. Your buddy should always remain on the ground, ready to hold the ladder for you, retrieve the ladder should it fall, and be on standby should they need to call for help.

• Have proper equipment. Do not use nails or staples to secure lights on your roof. Only a professional roofer should take nails to shingles. Nails can further damage loose shingles and cause a channel for water damage if used improperly. Instead, grab yourself some plastic shingle hooks from your local hardware store. These hooks are made specifically for lights and will not damage your shingles, and will keep you from any sore thumbs in the future!

• Use an outdoor extension cord. The last thing you need is a fire hazard draped around your entire home. Make sure whatever power cord you are using is made specifically for outdoor use and is waterproof and sturdy.

• Measure your space. Make sure you have accurately determined how much cord length you will need. Pulling your lights too tight can be a fire hazard.

• Check your lights before hanging. Any frayed or damaged cables can be very dangerous when installing. Missing bulbs can cause the lights to not even work, and cracked bulbs can quickly turn into sharp glass if you’re not careful.

Bonus Tip: Buy a light timer! This will save you quite a bit on your electric bill and will keep you from having to remember to turn your lights off during the daytime.

If you follow this guide, you’ll be the light of your neighborhood, and you’ll have done it safely and without damaging your roof or your home!