Holiday decorating with lights

Hang Christmas stockings on the stair banister with greenery and battery-operated lights, which are very safe and provide creative flexibility.

To wrap a tree the quick and easy way, start by wrapping the light strand around your fist into a ball, and then unroll the ball of lights as you make your way around the trunk and up the tree. This technique also works for wrapping outdoor lampposts. Or you can wrap posts with net-style lights.

For a Christmas-tree bulb effect on outdoor trees and shrubs, wrap a light strand around your hand and elbow (like wrapping an extension cord) and secure the "bunch" of lights at one end with a plastic tie or cord. Then hang the bunches of lights throughout the tree.

Use different solid-color strands of lights on each individual bush or tree, thereby accentuating individual shapes and sizes of the bushes.

For safety, use only indoor lights inside the home and outdoor lights outside. Holiday lights are intended for seasonal use and shouldn't be kept up more than 90 days at a time.

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