Now that you’ve gotten your awesome Purple Christmas Lights, you probably want them to last as long as possible!

We’ve compiled a list of a few tips below for getting the most out of your lights!

1. Wrap them around a coat hanger or coffee can. This is a simple way to make putting away your lights go faster, and will save you from having to untangle your lights next year. Wrapping them around something also lowers the chances that the cable will get pinched and potentially damaged during the rest of the year. Cables can be wrapped around things but the real trick is letting it curl in a loop and following the natural curve of the cord. Audio-visual experts do this as a matter of habit. A few other tips about wrapping up your light cords: Never curl a cord in a loop around your elbow.  Never bend a cord or cable at a 90 degree angle.  You can let it follow the curve and still wrap it around a spool or hanger, but not just blindly wind around.

2. Don’t leave them out for too long. You probably just aren’t quite ready to give up the Christmas spirit yet, right? You put all of that effort into getting all of those decorations and lights up, and now you just want to get as much out of them as you can. It has nothing to do with the fact that it’s going to take FOREVER to put all the lights away and you’d rather just slip into post-holiday hibernation mode, right? Well the longer your lights are out (especially any that are outside) the more wear they endure. Wind, rain, and the sun all wear down on your lights. Get them stored in a cool, dry, dark place as fast as possible after the holidays to make them last longer.

3. Don’t leave them on over night. We know it’s tempting to leave your lights on overnight to show everyone your purple Christmas spirit, but the longer you leave your lights on at a time, the more wear they sustain, especially with incandescent lights. Unplug your lights when you go to bed and not only will your lights last longer and have fewer burnouts, you’ll also lower your electricity bill! And really, the only people seeing your lights in the middle of the night are over-caffeinated third shifters, opossums, coyotes, and wallaroos. It’s probably safe to leave your lights on for Christmas eve to help Santa find your house. LED lights are also a great idea. LED lights last longer and use less energy than incandescent lights, and can be left on overnight virtually guilt-free!

4. Use a surge protector. Make sure the power strip you’re plugging your lights into is also a surge protector. Minor power outages due to inclement weather can result in power surges and spikes on the rest of a power grid. Christmas lights are usually polarized, but they aren’t grounded, so they’re especially sensitive to even smaller power surges. Plug them into a surge protector and to reduce wear and prevent them from being damaged by power surges.

5. Make sure the correct amount of power is flowing to your lights. Here’s a handy chart to know what kind of converter you need to make sure the correct voltage is going to your lights, at the right frequency. This will reduce wear and reduce the risk of blowouts from too much current.

Got any more tips on how to get the most out of your purple Christmas lights? Let us know in the comment section below!

We wish you the purplest holidays possible this year!