You deserve some extra holiday help
Harness the Holidays and de-stress with these green building ideas to manage your extra decorating and entertaining costs or you’ll end up with financial troubles in January – and beyond.
In this series, we focus upon one of 12 smart ways to give yourself Holiday Breaks at Home:
Crisp air, sparkling lights, and a stunning lit wreath upon the front door – showcasing your home during the holidays is a source of great family pride. But given all the entertaining extras, managing the yard lighting schedule can feel like another burden to keep track of.
Why not cross off worrying about your outside Christmas lights by using a timer? It’s like having a virtual shepherd watching over your flocks (of lights) by night.
Using light timers to manage your outside holiday light display will control expenses, provide security deterrence, and even give unexpected joy.
Many people simply run their lights from dusk and on through the night. I wonder if for all of those extra hours, is the display viewed mostly by the occasional passing car or the squirrels hunkered down in the nearby oak?
Time it to the Family Schedule
Depending upon your family schedule, you can shave electric costs by turning lights on and off multiple times a night. Here are some ideas:
- If you tend to return around 5 pm, welcome yourself home with twinkling lights.
- Guests tend to arrive from 6 to 8 pm, so lights remain on.
- Consider lights off from 8 to 9 pm, when everybody is inside eating and visiting.
- Lights turn on again 9 to 11 pm for guest departures.
- Finally, lights out at 11 pm for bedtime.
Home Security Strategy
Inside light timers, especially the random operating digital-style, should already be an integral part of your home security strategy. But, who said your outside Christmas lights can’t contribute to deterring burglars too? Whether you’re home or visiting grandma, there will be activity at your house.
Yard lights will be cycling on and off, while a light inside, such as a living room table lamp, comes on at dusk and then stays on until bedtime. Meanwhile, lights in other rooms like a bedroom and family room cycles on and off.
Your indoor Christmas tree lights could even be timed for both evening and morning cycles. If you travel away for the holidays, though, make sure to unplug the timer. Tree lights should never be left on unattended.
Day Breaks for Joy
Do you head for the gym or grab the paper at the crack of dawn? Start your day off in a festive mood by programming your timer so your lit Christmas lights welcome you. Our white lights in the front shrubs are on just when my husband begins his early morning work commute. If he starts off happy, then maybe it’ll rub off on the folks at the office!
It’s true ‘Timing is everything’ and during this season, there couldn’t be a more accurate adage, but using a timer on your yard lights could just be just the item for you to have…. wait for it…. Perfect timing.
Have any suggestions for holiday lights timer programming? Leave them here.
