A national homeowner survey shows most people hang lights every year, but tangled strands, burnt-out bulbs, and ladder injuries are part of the routine. Here's what the data says and how to plan around it.
Very common: 59% of homeowners put up lights every year and 84% run into problems while doing it. Burnt-out bulbs and tangled strands are the top hassles, while 16% of homeowners have been personally injured during the process. Better storage habits and a few ladder rules cut most of that risk.
Holiday lights are a near-universal American tradition. A national homeowner survey found that 59% of homeowners put up lights every single year, and 72% did the previous season. With roughly two-thirds of households planning to decorate again, lights are less a question of 'if' and more a question of 'when and how'—yet the same survey found that 84% of homeowners run into issues or injuries while hanging them, and 16% have been hurt in the process.
The numbers are remarkably consistent. Among homeowners, 68% planned to put up lights the year the survey was conducted, with another 17% still on the fence. The tradition runs deepest in households with children under 18, where 88% decorated the prior year and 86% planned to do it again. For many families, lights aren't just decor—they're a routine tied to the kids' experience of the season.
Homeowners move fast. Three out of four people putting up lights (77%) plan to have them installed by the end of November. Take-down is more leisurely: 45% remove their lights during the first week of January and 31% by mid-January. A stubborn 5% still have lights up into February, which is worth keeping in mind if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA or municipal rule about display duration.
The most common complaints are cosmetic—burnt-out bulbs (60%) and tangled or damaged strands (53%)—but a meaningful share of homeowners run into trouble with the work itself. About a third (32%) struggle to hang or secure the lights, and 23% say they're worried about their safety going into the season. The reason for that worry is concrete: 16% of homeowners have been personally injured while putting lights up, 17% say a household member has been hurt, and 13% have needed medical attention for a decorating injury.
| What's annoying | What actually hurts |
|---|---|
| Burnt-out bulbs: 60% | Personal injury while hanging lights: 16% |
| Tangled or damaged strands: 53% | A household member injured: 17% |
| Difficulty hanging or securing: 32% | Needed medical attention: 13% |
Tangled and damaged strands are the number-one storage problem, and a few habits prevent most of it. The goal is to keep each set in its own space, dry, and labeled so the November setup is faster and less frustrating.
A piece of cardboard cut into a C-shape, a wire hanger bent into a loop, or a dedicated light reel keeps strands from tangling. Label the reel with the year and the location it was used (front yard, tree, mantel).
Plug in each set while you still have them untangled. Replace burnt-out bulbs and note any dark sections. A strand that's easy to fix in December is much harder to fix next November.
Group strands that go on the same bush, window, or tree into one labeled bag or bin. Next year you grab one bag per spot instead of sorting through mixed boxes.
Garages, attics, and basements are fine if they stay dry. Moisture is the main cause of corroded sockets and cracked insulation. Avoid placing bins directly on concrete floors where condensation collects.
Outdoor-rated sets are built for weather; indoor sets are not. Mixing them up is how indoor strands end up in the rain, and outdoor strands end up on the tree where the insulation is heavier than it needs to be.
Half of homeowners (50%) who decorated in the past did so entirely on their own, and only 9% hired help. But the demand jumps where the work is hardest: roofline lights are the single task most often handed to a professional (6%), and among households with children under 18, 46% say they're likely to hire a service, compared with 25% of all homeowners. The math is straightforward—if your plan includes a two-story roofline, a tall peak, or a display larger than you're comfortable reaching, paying for installation is usually cheaper than a single urgent-care visit.
SUMMARY
Most homeowners decorate with lights every year, and most run into at least one problem doing it. The two issues that cause the most grief—tangled strands and ladder work—are also the two easiest to plan around. Store each set in its own labeled bag, test it before it goes in the bin, and never work above the first-floor eaves without a spotter. If your display includes a tall roofline or a big tree, the survey data suggests you're better off booking help than gambling on the ladder.
Common questions
If your display includes a roofline, a tall peak, or more than a single story of exterior lights, yes. About 9% of homeowners overall hire help, but the share jumps to 46% in households with kids under 18. The work most often handed to a pro is roofline lights, and the data shows that 16% of homeowners have been personally injured while doing it themselves.
According to the survey, 45% take lights down during the first week of January and 31% by mid-January. A small share—about 5%—keep them up into February. If you have an HOA or municipal rule, plan for the first week of January to stay safely inside the window.
The injuries almost always trace back to ladder and roof work. While only 23% of homeowners said they were worried about safety going into the season, 16% reported being personally injured, 17% had a household member injured, and 13% needed medical attention. Two-thirds of homeowners (67%) already use a spotter and 50% use safety gear, which is the single biggest factor separating the uninjured from the injured.