--- title: "The Genius Way to Hang Christmas Lights On Your House This Year" description: "If you love having Christmas lights on your house but hate the tedious setup and takedown, this one-and-done method is for you." date: "2025-12-19" modified: "2025-12-19" authors: - name: "Jenny Stanley" job_title: "Executive Editor" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/jenny-stanley/" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/diy/how-to-hang-christmas-lights-on-house/" categories: - "DIY" - "Furniture & Design" - "Holidays & Celebrations" --- # The Genius Way to Hang Christmas Lights On Your House This Year ![Bob Vila editor's house with Govee Outdoor Strip Lights installed along the roofline.]() *Photo: Jenny Stanley for BobVila.com* Although my family loves having twinkling lights on the house during the holidays, I dread the chore of hanging them every year. It involves dragging out tangled strands, climbing ladders in frigid weather, and promising myself I’ll figure out a better system next time. This annual hassle is exactly what pushed me to rethink how I light my house for the holidays, and ultimately led me to a solution that completely changed the game. This year, instead of traditional [string lights](), I mounted [permanent outdoor strip lights]() along my roofline. They’re designed to stay up year-round, blending in during the day and lighting up beautifully at night. Once they were installed, that was it—no more climbing ladders, no more bulky storage bins, and no more racing the calendar to get lights up before the season passes. When December rolls around, all I have to do is turn on my preset Christmas display! For anyone who loves the look of a lit-up home during the holidays, but hates the tedious setup and takedown, this one-and-done method of [how to hang Christmas lights]() on a house is for you. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tnjWIwyF2sQ?feature=share ### Tools & Materials Bobvila.com may earn a commission from purchases made through these links. - [Extension ladder]() - [Tape measure]() - [Drill/driver]() - [Drill bit]() - [Screwdriver]() - [Govee Outdoor Strip Lights]() ## Before You Begin Take proper safety measures when working outdoors in cold weather. Wear warm clothing and shoes with good traction. If using a ladder, ask a helper to spot you, especially if you’re contending with snow on the ground. ## Step 1: Test the lights. ![Editor Jenny Stanley plugging in Govee Outdoor Strip Lights to test that they work before installing.]() *Photo: Jenny Stanley for BobVila.com* Before mounting your [Christmas lights](), first connect the strands and plug them in to make sure they work. I downloaded the [Govee Home app]() at this stage, as it’s useful for testing my lights. ## Step 2: Measure and plan your layout. ![Editor Jenny Stanley measuring the roofline of her house for Christmas light installation.]() *Photo: Jenny Stanley for BobVila.com* Though you might still need to climb a ladder to install [Govee Outdoor Strip Lights](), remember, you only need to do it once. That’s it! Be sure to measure carefully and strategize the best layout for strip lights on your house. ## Step 3: Install the brackets. ![Editor Jenny Stanley installing brackets on house soffit for hanging Christmas lights.]() *Photo: Jenny Stanley for BobVila.com* Secure the first bracket in a convenient location for connecting the lights to a power source. For me, it’s the far corner of my garage roofline. The Govee lights come with special plastic brackets and screws. I used a 3/32-inch titanium drill bit to make pilot holes in my aluminum soffits. ## Step 4: Snap the strip lights into the brackets. ![Editor Jenny Stanley installing Govee Outdoor Strip Lights in brackets on her house.]() *Photo: Jenny Stanley for BobVila.com* Thread the strip lights through the initial brackets. If needed, add more brackets and employ the adhesive backing to help the strips lay flat against the mounting surface. The Govee Outdoor Strip Lights can only be cut at the tail end of the strip, and there’s no going back once you cut them. Take care to ensure that you cut the strip at the appropriate location. ## Step 5: Create unique light displays. ![]() Once installed, the real fun begins with the [Govee Outdoor Strip Lights](). My favorite features in the app are Finger Sketch, which allows you to select colors and effects for specific sections of lights, and DIY, which allows you to save and edit truly custom displays. Of course, the app is also loaded with preset scenes for a variety of moods and occasions beyond holiday celebrations. ## Author Jenny Stanley is a DIYer and the executive editor for the Service & News team at BobVila.com. She has published content that speaks to her passion for home improvement during her entire career. Her areas of focus include any home or garden topic that fellow DIYers may type into a search bar, as well as trends and news that she knows the BobVila.com audience will enjoy reading about.