Lighting up The Woodlands: Tips from a professional installer

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Elegant and simple, or vibrant and bright? Icicles or bulbs? What IS the lighting trend this holiday season?

Whatever makes you shine, said Jay Reynolds, owner of Hangin' By A Clip, a veteran-owned and operated business that installs, repairs and takes down seasonal lights.

Here's what the Marine Corps veteran had to say about the beauty of bulbs.

WOL: What do people want? Is it a simple outline of the roof?

Jay: Outlining the roof is pretty much a given, but a lot of people don't know about their archways because they think you have to screw it to the brick or nail it. That's not true. With hot glue, we just put it there and when the season is over, we just peel it off and it does nothing to the house. In the last few years, people have moved beyond the roofline and like to light up pathways and driveways. Most people do that part themselves, but call a professional to get up on the roof.

WOL: What are the indicators you should bring in a pro instead of attempting the job yourself?

Jay: If you have a steep roof, a two-story house, or if you have plugs that are underneath and would have to lean over the edge to plug the lights in. As for the lights, some people have their own and just want us to put them up. Or, we have our own lights we can custom fit to your house. You can't cut store-bought lights, so if you have a roof line with different levels, the drop from one roof to the other will have lights hanging there. But we can cut our lights, so you won't have lights where they shouldn't be.

WOL: Do people prefer all white or multi-color lights?

Jay: It's totally your preference. I have a guy that wants all blue lights. I personally like red, white and green lights - but you have to space them out, two white, two red, two green. That way the color pops a little more than alternating one bulb per color. So it's not just about the color, it's about spacing the color.

WOL: Why do people care so much about Christmas lighting?

Jay: I think sometimes it's a competition. People want their house to look better than their neighbors. I also think it’s for kids. Kids love lights. We always drive around at night a couple days before Christmas just to look at Christmas lights.

WOL: Considering the nature of your work and this being a busy time of year, do you still get excited when you flip that switch for a customer?

Jay: Oh, most definitely! It's harder to see the full effect during the day, but we still want to give them that 'oh wow' moment. It's why I don't mind spending two to three hours on a roof!