Whether on your house or on your tree, Christmas lights are an important part of your decorations. Lights can set the mood for the inside of your house, or light the way in your outdoor display. But they can be quite pricey and putting them up can be time consuming. Finding the right lights for your purpose can also be troublesome. Thankfully, with a little research and planning, your Christmas light display can be everything you want.

Before going crazy and putting lights under every eve and pine bow, consider your budget. Not only are the strings of lights themselves expensive, but your electricity bill will feel the pinch too. If you are planning a large outdoor display of Christmas lights, make sure you give yourself extra money for your bill. Also, before you buy your strings of lights, consider the wattage. You don’t want bright lights illuminating the whole inside of your house, nor do you want your yard to appear to be an airplane landing strip. The proper wattage will save you money, and keep your display to a reasonable level.