AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER is when installers open the books, and it is when you have actual choice of date. Nothing gets installed that early, but the schedule fills in the order people book, and the good weekends go first. Booking here costs nothing extra and is the single easiest advantage available.
OCTOBER is when installs start in earnest. Yes, before Halloween. Crews cannot fit an entire region into three weeks, so the season is spread, and lights installed in October simply stay off until you want them on.
There is no downside to an early install other than looking eager.
NOVEMBER IS THE CRUNCH. The weeks around Thanksgiving are the single busiest stretch, because that is when most people decide they want lights. Calling then means taking whatever date is left, if any.
DECEMBER IS TOO LATE for a new install almost everywhere. What crews are doing in December is service calls on systems they already installed. A new customer calling December 10 is usually being told about next year.
JANUARY IS TAKEDOWN, and it is worth asking who does it and whether it is included, because that is a question people forget until there are lights on the house in March. If storage is included, ask where and in what.
IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT PERMANENT LIGHTING, the quiet months are late winter through summer. Installers are not turning away holiday work then, you get real attention, and the system is finished long before anyone else is thinking about December.
- August and September: books open, best choice of date, no extra cost
- October installs are normal; lights stay off until you want them on
- The weeks around Thanksgiving are the busiest stretch of the year
- December is service calls, not new installs, in most cases
- Ask who does January takedown and whether storage is included
- For permanent lighting, late winter through summer is the quiet window
Questions people ask about when to book christmas lights
When should I book holiday light installation?
August or September. Nothing goes up that early, but the schedule fills in booking order and the good weekends go first. It costs nothing to be early.
Is October too early to put up Christmas lights?
No, and it is normal. Crews cannot fit a whole region into three weeks, so installs are spread out. The lights simply stay off until you want them on.
Can I still get lights installed in December?
Usually not as a new customer. December is mostly service calls on systems already installed. If you are calling that late, ask about next season.
Who takes the lights down?
Ask before you book, because it is the question people forget. Takedown in January and storage are sometimes included and sometimes billed separately.
New to this? The plain-English guide to ordering walks through what to decide first.