Christmas Lights Made Easy

By Emory Bryan, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A professional look for Christmas lights usually comes with a professional price, but there are some easy tips that can make any display a little better.

A huge display takes a lot of time, but some of the tricks the pros use can be duplicated easily at home.

Ken Thomasson has spent the last few months installing Christmas lights. He's got the big ladder, a helper, poles and thousands of lights.

But his best tip for wrapping lights is this simple: string out the lights and roll them up in a ball.

"It won't get tangled up, just roll it up in a ball and that way when you're doing the wraps, it comes unwound as you're wrapping the tree," said Thomasson of Lawn America Christmas Décor.

And he says lights look better on a tree if they are wrapped both ways to separate the lights.

Having a professional string up your Christmas lights will cost about $500, but if you use these tips, your do it yourself installation can look a whole lot better.

For tall trees a ladder and pole are essential tools.

"We basically just wrap it around, put it up and take the slack and wrap it around again," said Judd Blevins of Lawn America Christmas Décor.

The number and spacing of the bulbs is a matter of preference, but of course, more lights have a bigger impact.

The pros plug them in while they're working to make sure the bulbs are all working.

"And all it takes is one bulb to make half that strand not work so we plug them in and put them up while they're on, so if that happens, that happens before we're done," said Thomasson.

The pros know good and bad work when they see it, but their tips can make any display better.

"It's tough when you drive by and you see houses we didn't do the lights you'll be driving by and think geez that's horrible," said Blevins.