Permanent Holiday Lights Are the Easy Curb Appeal Upgrade You Can Do Right Now

Are you one of those people who think Christmas lights aren’t just for Christmas? Do you ever wish you could celebrate every holiday, game day, or special occasion with a light display in exactly the right festive colors? Or are you just tired of going up and down a ladder, putting up and taking down lights every year?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you might be a candidate for permanent holiday lights. This relatively new category of outdoor lighting (several of the main companies started around 2010-ish) is growing in popularity around the country. According to some reports, this market is growing as much as 30% each year. “As more people see their neighbors getting them, more people are becoming interested,” says Forrest Evans, owner of Trimlight of Central Iowa, who has been selling and installing these systems for the past four years.

If you’re thinking about bringing a festive, colorful light show to your house year-round, here's what you need to know.

What Are Permanent Holiday Lights?

Permanent holiday lights are lengths of LED lights that are installed by a professional on or near the gutters and fascia of your home. Unlike regular string lights that you put up and take down each year, these lights are installed once and meant to remain on the house and be used all year long. They're also designed and installed so that they are as hidden as possible, making them largely invisible during the day.

4 Reasons to Consider Permanent Holiday Lights

The reasons people are opting to have their holiday lighting installed permanently (rather than contending with regular string lights) range from the whimsical to the practical.

1. Colors and Customization

A big draw of permanent holiday lights is the range of colors available. Whereas most regular string lights come with only one or two colors per strand, the colors of a permanent holiday light system can be completely customized. Using an app on your smartphone, you can program the colors, patterns, and animations of the lights as well as when the system turns on and off. Most systems range from a basic warm white to any color of the rainbow.

2. Curb Appeal

Besides the customization, Evans thinks permanent holiday lights do a better job of improving the curb appeal of a house. “Traditional Christmas lights basically nullify the look of your house,” he says. “If you’re driving up the street and you have two or three people in a row that have the temporary lights, you’ll notice that you actually see the house less. Whereas our product actually puts the light on your house.”

3. Safety

Permanent holiday lights make it possible to light up spots that are difficult or dangerous for the average person to access. “A lot of people will hang lights just on the lower level because of ladder concerns and safety,” Evans says. With professionally-installed permanent lights, however, it’s more practical to trim out high roof peaks, which makes your overall lighting design look more complete and impactful.

4. Home Security

Permanent holiday lights can play a role in home security, as well, Evans says. Since the lights are controlled via your smartphone, you can control them from anywhere in the world (and make it look like you’re at home even if you’re not). “If you’re traveling for the holiday and you need to switch from your Thanksgiving pattern to your Christmas pattern, as long as you have mobile data on your phone, you can connect to the lights on your house and switch them, put them on a timer, and schedule them,” he says.

Cost to Install Permanent Holiday Lights

Evans estimates the cost of lighting the front of the average suburban house in his market would be about $3,500. He says that's roughly the equivalent of having a professional put up and take down temporary holiday lights three times. 

Of course, if you choose to do the sides and back of your house, it would cost more because the lights are priced according to the number of linear feet of the area that is to be trimmed.

Is There a Best Time of Year to Install Permanent Holiday Lights?

Yes. Though permanent holiday lights can be installed any time, prices start increasing in the run-up to the winter holidays as vendors and installers get busier. This can happen as early as September. Evans recommends getting your contract signed and your lights installed between January 1 and mid-June for the lowest prices.

Can Permanent Holiday Lights Help Sell Your House?

The answer is maybe. There is no hard data, but in Evans’ experience, the presence of a permanent holiday lighting system is all upside when you’re trying to sell your house. “Light does bring a lot of attention to your home, and attention is what you need,” he says. “Any agent worth their salt will include a couple of pictures of your home all lit up at night in the listing.” Plus, if the warranty is transferrable, as Trimlight's is, the buyers inherit a lighting system that should be all benefit and no trouble.