Viral Video Could Be a Game-Changer When It Comes to Putting Up Christmas Lights
When most people think of the most wonderful time of the year, they picture a tree wreathed in ornaments and glistening with Christmas lights.
For many people, trimming the Christmas tree is a favorite holiday tradition, but there can be a lot of pressure associated with putting up lights to commemorate the occasion.
Since 2020 has been a year with many changes, some may have the desire to decorate their Christmas tree a little differently and avoid a bit of the stress surrounding this activity.
In a now-viral video, TikTok user Clare Hooper offered a decorating tip she claimed could reduce some of the hassle of stringing lights on the Christmas tree.
According to Hooper, when it comes to giving their tree a special twinkle, people have by making it more stressful than they need to because they’ve been doing it all wrong.
Hooper demonstrated in her video what she said was “the right way to do lights,” citing her background in Christmas decorating in a statement to Fox News.
“I used to work for a large church, and the main facility also doubled as a conference center,” Hooper said. “I ran a team of 100-plus volunteers to decorate for the Christmas activities, where thousands from the city came to free community events.”
Hooper’s “zig-zag” technique, placing lights on her tree from top to bottom, may seem unusual to anyone who has been stringing lights up using the horizontal coil method for years.
@mrsclarehoopsThis method saved me so many times ?#christmasdance #mumslifeinlockdown #festiveness♬ Rocking Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
Though some may have never seen it before, Hooper’s decorating method is not new. Plenty of others have been using the “zig-zag” method for years.
Back in 2015, designer and decorator Francesco Bilotto told TODAY that hanging up his Christmas lights vertically and weaving them into the branches is how he gives his tree a special shine.
There is a bevy of other benefits to hanging Christmas tree lights up this way, as Hooper attested.
“You don’t waste lights at the back and bonus if a set breaks you can take them off easily,” she explained, revealing a tree decorated with colorful ornaments and untangled lights at the end of her brief video.
Hooper assured Fox News of the effectiveness of this method, explaining why it’s easier and less stressful than hanging lights on a Christmas tree horizontally.
“[I]f you do use multiple sets of lights, you can easily replace a set without too much disruption to the decorations,” Hooper said. “And taking them off at the end is a breeze in comparison to the coil method.”
Trimming the tree can seem like a daunting task, and there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to figuring out the best method for livening the home with Christmas cheer.
While Hooper’s light-hanging method may work for anyone who wants to avoid turning a routine holiday task into a tiresome chore, there are others who may be wondering how to partake in the festivities if they cannot afford a Christmas tree this year.
Finding a Christmas tree alternative can present a fun way to put a creative twist on an old concept.
One of the ideas presented by writer Sadie Holloway at Holidappy.com involves decorating outdoors, sharing how she and her husband strung lights on a small cedar shrub outside their patio window.
They placed presents beneath it as if it were a living room tree, and when they were “blessed” with a white Christmas, Holloway recalled how the final product “looked absolutely magical covered in snow.”
There’s also nothing that says a physical tree is necessary for hanging up Christmas lights.
The interior design website Kindesign contains tips about how a household on a budget can string some lights and decorations together to create their own Christmas tree design on the wall of their home.
You can even use household items like books, ladders and even egg cartons to create unconventional yet equally festive Christmas trees.
It may seem non-traditional, but everyone deserves a chance to bask in the festivities in their own unique way.
Despite the ongoing trials in the world, Christmas will still come.
Celebrating Christmas is likely going to look a little different for everybody this year, so it’s worth it to explore new ways to check one of those holiday tasks off the list and enjoy the delight of the season.
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