Every December knotted strings of lights and endless extension cables migrate, from closets and garages all throughout the country onto rooftops and trees. While some folks grab the old ladder and install it all themselves, others resort to holiday lighting businesses for a picture-perfect glow. These two roads differ more than the glow of an LED or the warmth of incandescent bulbs. Read here!

Holiday lights you strung yourself have natural attractiveness. Finding last year’s notes on which outlet is safest and untying the knots makes one happy. Having ever hung lights in the cutting wind or following the third cup of hot chocolate, you know there is a particular badge of pride involved. It may be a family meeting on the frozen roof with laughing, teamwork, and that necessary image of Dad. For tiny displays especially, the frugal budget-conscious may decide to do-it-yourself as buying light strands and a few hooks usually pays less upfront than hiring specialists. You also have control; change colors, restructure, or generate fresh ideas just because you feel like it.

Here, on the other side of the snow-covered road, is Holiday lighting companies offer knowledge, speed, maybe even insurance. They know local restrictions, have commercial-grade lights, and work fast—often doing setups in a few hours that would call for a weekend warrior days to complete. Professionals handle electrical demand, use timers, and can fix faulty outlets without calling in backup. When the experts visit, individuals with two-story homes or challenging landscaping have less chance of a slip or shocked finger.

And there is aesthetics as well. Sometimes DIYers yearn for the past. Perhaps your decorations resemble those of a calling to Clark Griswold. Conversely, holiday lighting firms construct those envy-inspiring displays with symmetry, straight lines, and no dark patches that neighbors capture. Interested in blue and gold LED icicles with coordinated timers? The inside scoop belongs to pros.