There are so many great ways to get into the holiday spirit, and hanging holiday lights around your home is one of the best. You can express your spirit, style, and technical do-it-yourself prowess while creating the atmosphere you want for all to see. 

But hold on there, Clark Griswold. As stylish as your 5,000 light winter wonderland (complete with every interpretation of Santa in the book) may look in your own head, your neighbors may not appreciate your endeavors. After all, they are the ones who will have to look at your choice of decor until you're good and ready to take it down. I've seen enough disasters in my day that I'd like to help you find the best way to hang YOUR Christmas lights this season.

The best way to hang Christmas lights relies primarily on the planning. DON'T just go through the attic and toss up whatever was leftover from last year. Hanging holiday lights is an art form, and it requires more than a 'plug-it-in-and-hope-for-the-best' approach. Holiday lighting critics are harsh and don't accept laziness as an excuse for half-finished lighting projects. You do not want to be considered a 'why bother' house, do you? 

Map out the area you want to cover, and figure out how much time and manpower you will devote to this labor of love. This will help with your holiday lighting choices, and will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed - perhaps the most valuable tip in finding the best way to hang Christmas lights!  

Next, you will want to figure out what you have in your inventory, and what theme you would like to use. Do you want colored lights? White? A mix? Large bulbs or small? Lawn decorations?  

Also, figure out where your electricity is coming from when hanging holiday lights. If you do not have an outdoor outlet close to where you will be anchoring your lights, invest in one of those 3-outlet ground stakes. A lot of them come with timers, which helps keep your energy costs down, a must during the holiday lighting season. Battery powered lights are also available, which eliminates the hiding-the-ugly-cord problem. (Note: if you do have an extension cord, try to find one that will match your decor a little better than the standard orange - unless you live in a pumpkin, this will most likely stick out like a sore thumb.) Do not commit holiday lighting suicide by allowing air lights to happen.  

If you are planning on hanging holiday lights on your trees and bushes using net lighting, proceed with caution. Make sure you are draping the net over the entire structure, and that it does not creep up. Secure the netting with zip ties on the branches.  

When hanging your lights, be sure to stay safe and use the correct sized ladder, and do your best to remain on level ground. There is no shame in getting the taller ladder for a hard to reach corner. There IS shame, however, in explaining the need to step on that forbidden top step to the EMT who is patching you up.  

You can use nails, hooks or thumbtacks to attach the lights, but when hanging holiday lights, I prefer to use an all-purpose light holder to make my life a lot easier. The plastic pieces disappear into the background when hung, and lights easily string and hook into the hooks. No more wind and snow lighting disasters!  

Whatever method you use, be sure to attach the lights firmly to the surface you are anchoring to. Be careful not to pierce any wires, or put too much weight on one area. This can damage the wires, affect the current flowing through the light strand, and could cause major electrical problems. By using common sense and a few tips from me, you should have your outdoor illumination project up and running in no time. When the season is over, wrap all cords and lights separately and pack gently, for use next year.