The easiest way to hang twinkly lights—and other holiday decorating conundrums, solved
We've covered some of the fun, chic holiday decorating options here already, and now it's time to address some of the fundamental challenges we all encounter when trying to get our homes looking merry and bright. Like, how does one hang Christmas lights on your trees with minimal hassle? And what's the best way to hang a wreath without making a mess of your front door? Here, a few simple solutions to address these issues and more, so you can get on with celebrating the season.
How To Hang A Wreath (Without Making Ugly Holes In Your Door): To avoid unsightly nail holes smack dab in the middle of your front door, try cutting a piece of ribbon (usually at least 3 inches wide, so you know it's got enough heft to support your wreath) that's long enough so that you can loop it around the back of your wreath and secure it to the top of your door with a few flat, heavy-duty thumbtacks (available at hardware stores).
How To Hang A Garland: Depending on where you want to put it, floral wire is going to be your new best friend. This thin, pliable wire is easy to cut and easy to loop around your greenery. Plus, it disappears from view (especially since it comes in green) and it's cheap, too. Snip off 2 foot long segments and coil it around your garland, then use it to wind around the banister of a staircase, columns, railing, etc. If you want to hang garlands around a doorway, try using push pins on top of the door frame to keep it secure.
How To Hang Christmas Tree Lights (On Your Christmas Tree): Always, always start by plugging in the lights to test if they're fully functional. Replace any burned out bulbs (you can get replacements at the hardware store). Start at the bottom and work your way to the top of the tree and loosely weave the lights over and under the branches. Make sure to leave enough cordage at the base so you can plug the lights into an outlet.
How To Hang Christmas Tree Lights (On Outdoor Trees): If you don't feel like busting out a ladder and having to move it around every few minutes, I don't blame you. The easiest thing to do is grab a long pole or rod, take a wire coat hanger and untwist it til it's as flat and straight as possible, then tape the two together using the head of the hanger as a hook. Begin from the bottom up and drape lights over the hook and use the pole to hang the lights from the tree branches. If possible, loop the lights around the ends of the branches every so often to keep them in place.
Sources: associatedcontent.com; suite101.com; marthastewart.com
Related: The ultimate in chic holiday decor-and it's all under $10
