There are many, many worse things in life than taking down Christmas lights: this we know. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of our most dreaded tasks of the entire year. This is why it should come as no surprise that leaving exterior holiday lights up year-round has become a definitive trend, thanks in part to necessity (one less holiday hassle to worry about), but also the rise of companies that specialize in patented, permanent year-round lighting systems, like Trimlight.
Trimlight’s programmable lights are barely visible during the day because of color-matching “diodes”—that part of the twinkle lights where the bulb is actually nestled—that blend in with any roofline, hiding the wires from view and holding the lights securely in place. They can also go anywhere, not just your roofline: around patios, pergolas, gazebos, and decks, as well as functioning as added security lighting. There’s an accompanying app for preset holiday color combos, plus the ability to customize with millions of colors, thousands of patterns and animations, and a built-in timer/calendar feature so you can truly “set it and forget it.”
Here are six occasions that prove you can (and should) leave your lights up all year long.
1. VALENTINE’S DAY
Switching out decorations every few weeks for those rapid-fire holidays (Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter...we’re lookin’ at you) is exhausting. Opt for a pink and reddish glow to show off your everlasting love instead, then turn them right off as soon as February 15 hits.
2. ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Or bring the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade home with green and white lights adorned on the gables and along the gutters.
3. FOURTH OF JULY
No patriotic backyard BBQ is complete without a little red, white and blue (and those iconic flag T-shirts, obviously). In case you’re wondering if Trimlight has the lifespan to make it this far into the year, the answer is a resounding yes: Those diodes we mentioned above are rated for 50,000 hours and come with a lifetime product warranty. That’s 20 to 30 years, depending on how often you turn them on.
4. HALLOWEEN
Between deciding on costumes, buying candy, and watching scary movies, there’s never enough time to put up the spooky lights. That’s why no-fuss, always-up lighting is our next home improvement project. But it does not just color you can change; choose your own chasing patterns and movements for a truly haunting effect.
5. Christmas
The Celebration that started the tradition of lighting up houses. Nothing else needs to be said.
6. EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
From graduations (school colors!) to engagements, sporting events, birth announcements, and more, celebrating any of life’s moments is more fun with festive lights that you can personalize with the touch of a button.