12 Tips to Prepare for Holiday Installations

The holiday season is always such an exciting time. Most Christmas displays never fail to bring people together with their elaborate designs.

No matter if you’re creating a large display or a smaller-scale display, these tips are sure to set you up for success. We know that it can be overwhelming, but setting a plan for yourself will help you to create an amazing display that fits your space perfectly.

Taking the time to think through how you want to set up your space is a crucial step in preparing for the holiday season. You will be successful and minimize stress later on.

When completing this step, you should consider what decorations you already have. You should start by working these pieces into your design. Then, consider if you need any additional decorations to truly bring out the Christmas spirit in your space. All of your pieces should complement each other nicely, so it is important that the pieces have similar colors or styles and try to match it with your brand’s overall aesthetic as consistently present brands tend to enjoy higher visibility.

It is recommended to give yourself at least two weeks prior to when your installation will begin so you will have time to think about your decisions and consult other people.

Themes help coordinate all the elements perfectly and ensure that your space is festive with a great atmosphere.

Here are some details to think about:

• Colors
• Patterns
• Materials of decorations (for example metallic or rustic)
• Winter plants
• Popular Christmas items (for example several Santa decorations )

Some common themes for spaces are:

• Candy canes
• Red
• Woodland creatures
• Winter plants
• Glamorous with bold patterns, metallics, and glitter

To find your perfect theme, you may want to look at several Christmas design examples to understand what you like and what you don’t like. You may want to start by collecting several pictures of the designs you like and feel suit your space well.

You can use general similarities from these pictures to choose a theme for your space.

Some good places to find inspiration are by looking at pictures online of various spaces decorated for Christmas. You can simply search and look at images, or you could look on Pinterest . You can also look at other stores you pass by. If you see some decorations you like while window shopping or in the store, you may want to snap a quick picture.

It is important that your decorations complement your brand. You don’t want your Christmas decorations to overpower your business and products.

As we have mentioned above, both your brand and decor should be consistent with each other.

When choosing a theme, start by pointing out some key components, such as common colors. You could use these colors as the theme for your space, using them for your ornaments and various pieces to ensure that everything blends seamlessly. You can also match the aesthetic of your brand and incorporate the theme from there. 

For instance, if your brand focuses on the outdoors and supports people that hike, a good theme to go with may be rustic. You’ll want to choose decorations that appear to be made from worn-out wood and include natural pieces, such as wreaths and garland .

Color temperature can either be warm or cool. It is measured in Kelvin. 

The higher the temperature, the cooler the light is and the lower the temperature, the warmer the light is. 

A warm light is usually in red or yellow hues and is commonly found in relaxing spaces such as bedrooms or dining areas. A cool light is brighter and is usually a blue and white color. This type of lighting is normally found in commercial areas, offices, and more.

If you are looking for a classic ambience, you should aim for warm colors. If you are aiming for a more contemporary and festive style, you should use cooler colors. Cooler tones will contribute to a bright and colorful appearance.

Creating a budget can seem overwhelming, but it is relatively simple and will help you even further with your planning. Ask yourself these questions when creating your own budget:

• What is my goal with these decorations and for my space?
• How much do the decorations cost?
• How much will it cost to install everything?
• How much will maintenance cost?
• How much will it cost to remove and store the decorations?

After considering what you want from your space and researching the costs of each component, you should have a rough idea of how much you will spend to prepare your space for Christmas.

If the price is too high or too low, you will want to review your choices and adjust accordingly.

Some key things to consider with your budget are to follow it closely throughout your Christmas decorating. While it is fine to tweak your plans, you should control your spending by staying on track with your budget.

You should also consider what these decorations will do for you and if they will help your business. It is a good idea to calculate your return on investment and use this value when it is time to decorate for Christmas once more.

Be thorough when doing your research so you can find prices that accurately reflect what you will likely spend.

If you want to save money, try looking for discounts. There may be similar decorations sold by other retailers that may be much cheaper.

Also, keep an eye out for possible sales. Black Friday is right before Christmas decorating begins for some people. You may be able to find your best promotion around this time. Plan ahead so you know what the best Black Friday deals are or speak to us in advance for availing discounts.

To ensure the safety of others, your installation must be done properly. Some things to consider with your decorated space include:

• Equipment Inspection: Thoroughly examine all decorations and equipment on a regular basis. You should test each item and inspect for any broken parts.

• Electrical Safety: Make sure you are properly using electrical equipment. Keep this equipment away from possible sources of water and check that cords are intact without exposed wires. When done using lights or similar equipment, unplug the cords.

• Weather Considerations: Everything must be secured tightly. Consider purchasing  extra hooks or clips  for your decorations to keep them in place. Strong winds can blow any loose items and potentially injure people. In addition, any sort of precipitation can damage decorations and cause serious safety problems if it were to reach electrical equipment that it shouldn’t. You can get a rain-block weatherproof gasket which will keep out water on light strands.

• Free Up Your Power Sources: Simply unplug electrical equipment that you are not using or isn’t essential so other items, such as light strands or light up decorations, can be plugged in. By doing this, there will be enough energy for necessary equipment to properly function.
• Proper Installation: Inspect all equipment thoroughly. Everything should be installed correctly, so it is essential that you take your time when setting up your decorations. For instance, all plugs should be flat against the outlet with no exposed wires.

The Christmas tree is often a focal point for decorated spaces. If you choose to have your tree as the center or as an accompanying piece, you will want it to be a beautiful aspect. For your tree to have the perfect triangular look, you should trim it or make your life easier by buying an artificial Christmas tree from vendors like Dekra Lite. 

To trim your tree, follow these simple steps:

• Evaluate your tree, looking for any places with too many or too few branches, as well as places where the branches don’t fit into the general shape of the tree.
• Any protruding branches should be cut off with the proper equipment.
• After cutting off the major branches, start by trimming your way from the bottom of your tree to the top. Remember that it should be a triangular shape, so the branches should get smaller the farther up you go.
• Pull apart branches to give your tree more dimension and better fit the overall shape.

It is essential that you have a good understanding of the space you will be decorating. You should use this knowledge and your plan for decorating from the first tip to understand how many of each kind of decoration you will need. You should ensure you have enough decor for each space to create a cohesive look. 

Consider how many wreaths, figurines, bows and more that you will need.

The main area where you will want people to draw their attention to is where you should begin. You will want to make sure this area is done in a way that looks great for your display.

A common focal point is a large Christmas tree. If you choose the same, you will want to decorate your tree properly. Some things you should focus on are:

• Enough lights
• Ornaments
• Bows or ribbon
• Tree toppers
• Tinsel

No matter what your focal point is, you should direct your attention to this aspect and research what you should do for this piece and what you can purchase for it to stand out.

Remember when you are planning out your space that all kinds of people will be visiting. Clear areas where people will walk to keep it accessible.

Some other things to consider are including written signs in braille.

You should also turn your lights to a setting where they don’t flash too much as this can be harmful to people with sensory issues. If it is important to your design that your lights flash, you should include a warning before people see the lights.

Now that you’ve completed the steps for planning, it is time for the fun part: picking out your Christmas decorations and getting everything ready to be set up.

It is crucial that you stay organized throughout this process.

You may want to make a list of everything you need and how much. As you gather all your supplies, try to keep everything separated, possibly by which decorations go together in one area. For a tree, keep all the decorations that will go on it collected together.

Timers and automation can help conserve electricity. You can set timers to have your Christmas decorations light up only when people would be present in the space.

If you feel this would be the right option for you, you will want to purchase decorations that can operate with timers. This may require more time and research, but will be more efficient in the end.

It is always fun to be creative and step out of your comfort zone. When using lights, you can always try something new that will amaze anyone that sees your Christmas decor. Some things you can try include:

• Using lights to outline the front of the building where your display is
• Create your own Christmas tree just from light strands
• Create a place where people can take pictures with lights and other photo op decorations 

Local regulations may set limitations on the height or size of displays because they could obstruct visibility or powerlines. Other common regulations limit flashing lights, which can impair the vision of drivers.

Make sure that you check the regulations in the area where your display will be and follow them exactly.

If your display will be outside, you will want to purchase decorations that can withstand weather and won’t be damaged by rain or snow.

You should work to prevent potential hazards with your electrical components.

Consider using waterproof extension cords or outlets. Additionally, you can use a rain-block weatherproof gasket to keep water out from the connection between light strands.

To reduce the risk of other safety problems, it is necessary that all components of your display are firmly placed in their positions. Loose items could potentially move and injure someone nearby.

Once your display is up, you will want it to remain in tip-top shape as it did when it was first put up.

Keep an eye on all aspects of your display and constantly check for parts that aren’t working.

If you find that something has changed with the display and one part is no longer working, be sure to address it immediately. A common form of maintenance that is necessary for light strands is checking for broken or burnt out bulbs. If you were to find anything like this on your light strands, be sure to replace these bulbs promptly.

Creating your own Christmas display can be very simple. These tips cover every aspect you should consider from start to finish with your own display. You should give yourself ample time to prepare your own space for each of these components.

Hopefully these tips were helpful to you and will help you create the best display that truly captures the Christmas spirit.

If you are finished planning and ready to purchase affordable Christmas decor, contact us.