Want an easier way to decorate your house with Christmas lights? Here are some bright ideas on how to hang Christmas lights safely and easily. Skill level: Beginner. Estimated time: 2 hours

Outlining your eaves, windows, and shrubbery with decorative lights is a sure way to enliven your home for the holidays. But hanging outdoor holiday lights can be less than a cheerful experience, particularly when you're faced with a teetering ladder and tangles of light strings that don't work. Here's how to make the job go safely and as smooth as a warm eggnog.

Overview
During the holiday season, you'll discover many types of decorative lights at home improvement centers, from conventional mini-lights and icicle lights to mesh-style light strings made for wrapping tree trunks.

You can choose clear, white, or colored lights that stay lit, blink, or chase. The right style for your home will depend upon the look you want to create and your budget, as well as energy requirements for the lights, so be sure to take your time when shopping.

Lights designated "C-7" and "C-9" have 5- or 10-watt bulbs similar to those used in conventional nightlights (C-9s are larger). "Mini-lights," as their name implies, utilize miniature bulbs; they are, by far, the most popular today because they are inexpensive to buy and to power, thanks to their cool-burning 1.5- or 2.5-volt bulbs. The larger C-9s and C-7s become very hot and consume considerably more energy than the same number of mini-light bulbs.

On the other hand, C-9 and C-7 light sets are heavier-duty than mini-lights and are more reliable. If one bulb is broken, missing, or twisted in a mini-light string, all or part of the remaining string won't work (though a bulb that is simply burned out should not affect the rest of the string). This isn't the case with the larger bulb sets; they continue to operate.

Why we like it: • Pack of 50 • Just clip on and snap in cord • Clips work on gutters, shingles, siding

The most convenient light strings have a male plug at one end and a female receptacle at the other--you can plug them together from end to end, which makes them easier to route. In the case of mini-lights, short, 50-light strings are often a better bet than longer 100-, 150, or 200-light strings because you can easily unplug and replace a defective string. Regardless of the type you buy, choose lights that are UL-approved for outdoor use. Follow all of the manufacturer/s cautionary directions on the package.

1. Locate an electrical receptacle for the lights.
Plan to run heavy-duty extension cords from a working 120-volt electrical outlet that is protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Ideally, use a switch-controlled outlet or plug the lights into an automatic timer that will turn them on at dusk and off late at night (but remember to turn the timer off when you won't be home). Both the receptacle's circuit and the timer must be rated to handle the combined amperes of all light strings connected to it. Do not use an indoor timer outdoors.

2. Measure the lengths.
Using a long measuring tape (ideally 30-feet or longer), measure the length of your house along the ground. Also measure its height and the height of any bushes or trees you intend to light. And measure the lengths of light strings you'll need to encircle doors or windows. Figure the number of 50-foot light strings it will take for all of these measurements.

3. Test your lights.
Before you plug them in, visually inspect your light strings, looking for broken or missing bulbs and worn or defective wires. If you discover faulty wires, replace the strings entirely. If bulbs are broken or missing, replace the bulbs.

To extract a broken bulb, wear gloves and use long-nose pliers (pull mini-lights straight out; unscrew C-7 or C-9 bulbs counterclockwise). Once a light string is complete, plug it in and check for burned-out bulbs. Unplug the string before replacing faulty bulbs, then re-test to be sure all lights work. If the string doesn't work at all, check it for a blown fuse, per the manufacturer's directions. If the fuse has blown, replace it; if it blows again, replace the entire string.

4. Set up a ladder.
If your home's eaves are low, you may be able to use a stepladder; otherwise, plan to use an extension ladder. Place it firmly on flat ground and lean it against the eaves, extended well above the eaves and leaning at an angle that will be comfortable and safe to climb--neither too steep nor too flat. If you must lean it against the gutter, place a short piece of 2 by 4 inside the gutter for reinforcement. For more about this, see Ladder Safety.

5. Hang the lights along eaves. Your objective is to hang lights as easily and safely as possible without marring your home's trim or walls. For attaching lights along gutters or the roof, use plastic clips made for the job--these grip shingles or gutters and have a lower hook that holds a light strand or extension cord.

6. Attach lights to trim. For attaching lights to window trim and similar vertical surfaces, use tube light clips or nail-on plastic clips like those shown in the illustration. Space them about 12 inches apart or as required. All of these clips are available at home-improvement centers. Do not use staples or nails to hang light strings--they can pierce or wear-away the protective insulation, creating an electrical hazard.