Permanent Christmas Lights vs. Professional Seasonal Installation

Permanent Christmas lights have been one of the most searched holiday lighting topics of the last two years. The idea is simple: LED lights mounted in a track under the eaves, left up all year and controlled from a phone. It is a fair question whether that beats having a display professionally installed each season.

We install seasonal Christmas displays, so we have a side in this. We have tried to lay out both options plainly so you can decide what fits your house.

What permanent lights are

Permanent systems are small LED lights set in a channel that is fastened along the roofline. They stay up year-round. An app changes the color and pattern, so the same lights can be used for Christmas, Halloween, a game day or plain white accent lighting.

What a seasonal installation is

A seasonal display is designed for your home, installed in the fall, looked after through the holidays, then taken down and stored. It is not limited to the roofline. It can include wrapped trees, lit wreaths, garland around the entry, window outlines and ground lighting.

How they compare

The look

Permanent lights give you a row of small points of light along the eaves. A seasonal roofline uses full-size C9 bulbs, which is the classic Christmas look most people picture. If a traditional, warm display is what you are after, seasonal lighting is closer to it.

How much of the property is lit

Permanent systems cover the roofline. They do not wrap a tree, light a wreath or dress a front door. A seasonal design can light the whole property, and it can change from one year to the next.

Daytime appearance

A permanent track is on the house twelve months a year. Good installations are discreet, but it is worth looking closely at daytime photos on a home like yours before you commit. A seasonal display is gone in January, and during the season the wreaths and garland make the house look decorated in daylight.

Weather on the coast

Anything left on a house in coastal New England lives through salt air, ice, snow sliding off the roof and summer sun, every year. Ask any permanent lighting installer how the system and its warranty handle those conditions. Seasonal lights are outdoors for a couple of months and spend the rest of the year in storage.

Cost

Permanent lights are a larger one-time purchase, with repairs later if parts fail. Seasonal service is a yearly cost that includes the design, the lights, the installation, in-season maintenance, takedown and storage. Which one costs less over time depends on the size of the house and how long you plan to stay in it.

Year-round use

This is where permanent lights win. If you want to light the house for other holidays and events through the year, a seasonal Christmas display does not do that.

Who each option suits

• Permanent lights suit homeowners who want color-changing roofline lighting all year and are happy with the roofline alone.

• Seasonal installation suits homeowners who want a traditional Christmas display, lit trees and greenery as well as the roofline, and nothing on the house the rest of the year.

Some homeowners do both: a permanent roofline, with wreaths, garland and wrapped trees added for December.

What we do

Professional Christmas lighting is what we do. We design the display, supply the lights and greenery, install it, keep it working through the season, take it down and store it. See what that looks like for homes and businesses, or request a quote online in a few minutes.

Common questions

Are permanent Christmas lights worth it?

They can be, if year-round color on the roofline is what you want. If your goal is a full, traditional Christmas display, a seasonal installation usually gets you closer.

Can permanent lights replace a full Christmas display?

Not on their own. They cover the roofline. Trees, wreaths, garland and entry lighting are still seasonal work.

Do you take the lights down after the holidays?

Yes. Takedown and storage are part of our service. More answers are on our FAQ page.