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Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and by about 5:30 that evening it is dark in New Orleans. Homes that want their holiday lights glowing for the first gatherings of the season need the design, the power and the installation settled well before the turkey comes out.
Holiday lighting looks simple from the street, but a display that runs safely from late November into the new year takes real planning. The trees, the porch, the outlets and the timing all have to work together.
At TurnKey Lightings, we design and install festive string lighting for homes across the New Orleans area, from wrapped trees to lit porches and patios.
If you want lights up before the holidays arrive, contact us and we will plan the display with you.
This guide covers what a holiday plan includes, what shapes the local calendar, the risks of doing it yourself and how an installation comes together.
A holiday lighting plan decides what gets lit, how it looks and how it is powered. Settling those three questions early is what lets an installation happen in a single visit instead of a string of trips up a ladder.
Start with the parts of the property people see and use. For most homes, that means the front of the house, one or two trees or shrubs, the porch or gallery and sometimes the patio where guests gather.
On our festive string lighting page, the holiday season theme is lights wrapped around trees and shrubs. Wrapped or draped trees give the whole yard a warm glow, and lights along a path carry the feel from the sidewalk to the door.
Large trees deserve their own thought. Our guide to lighting live oaks and mature trees covers year-round tree lighting, and a holiday wrap can work alongside it.
Color sets the tone of the whole display. Our holiday theme uses classic white, warm gold, or red and green, chosen to suit the house and the street.
A color-changing system adds more options. Our color-changing lighting can switch to red and green for Christmas, then to other colors for the next celebration, without changing the fixtures.
For homes in local historic districts, the look also has to fit the house. The HDLC lists seasonal lighting such as Christmas lights among the types of residential decorative lighting in New Orleans, and it asks that decorative lighting be installed in a way that minimizes damage to historic building fabric.
Every display needs a plan for where it plugs in. The number of strings, the outlets they reach and the circuits behind them decide how much lighting the house can carry safely.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises never stringing together more than three sets of incandescent lights and never overloading electrical outlets. UL Solutions adds that you should not overload power strips and outlets and should avoid connecting multiple power strips together.
If the plan needs a new outdoor outlet or a dedicated circuit, that is household electrical work. It belongs with a licensed electrician before the lights go up.
The holiday season here is shaped by early darkness, mild but changeable weather and, for historic homes, a 90-day limit on temporary lights. Each one points toward planning in October and early November.
Thanksgiving is the date most families have in mind. In 2026 it falls on November 26, and the U.S. Naval Observatory lists sunset in New Orleans at 5:01 PM that day, with civil twilight ending at 5:26 PM.
That means guests arriving for an evening meal walk up in the dark. A display that is already installed and tested by then greets them, while one still in boxes waits for the weekend after.
Booking ahead matters for the same reason. When the plan, the outlets and the install date are settled in early November, the lights can be on the night they are wanted.
November is a comfortable month to work outdoors here. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the New Orleans International Airport station show an average November high of 71.2 degrees F and an average low of 53.7 degrees F.
It is also the drier end of the holiday stretch. The same normals list 3.87 inches of rain in an average November, against 4.82 inches in December and 5.18 inches in January.
Rain still matters for any display that stays up through winter. Our festive string installations use high-quality, weather-resistant materials for safety and durability, which matters for a display that stays up through a wet December.
Homes in local historic districts have a time limit. The HDLC’s porch and gallery guidelines say traditionally temporary lights, such as seasonal Christmas lights or decorative light displays, shall be installed for no longer than 90 days.
Lights left up longer than 90 days are subject to HDLC review and approval. If your lights go on the day after Thanksgiving, November 27, 2026, the 90 days run out on February 25, 2027.
That date is worth putting on the calendar when the lights go up. Our guide to curb appeal lighting for New Orleans homes covers the other HDLC rules for street-facing lighting.
Most holiday lighting risks come from three places: ladders, overloaded power and worn-out light sets. Each is easier to manage with a plan.
Falls are the biggest risk. The CPSC reports about 160 Christmas decorating-related injuries each day during the holiday season, with nearly half of them involving falls.
Across the holiday season running from November 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, the CPSC says about 14,900 people were treated in emergency rooms for holiday decorating-related injuries. Rooflines, second-story galleries and tall trees are where ladders get used most.
Raised homes make the climb higher, because the roofline starts above a raised first floor. Handing the high work to an installation crew keeps you off the ladder during one of the busiest stretches of the year.
A bigger display is often built one strand at a time, plugged end to end until something trips. The CPSC’s three-set limit for incandescent strings, and UL’s advice not to chain power strips together, both point to planning the load before connecting anything.
Spreading the display across outlets, rather than running everything from one, keeps each connection within its limits. Following the manufacturer’s instructions on how many sets can connect is part of that, and UL says careful attention to those instructions can reduce the likelihood of a fire caused by holiday decor or lighting.
Lights that sat in a hot attic or a damp shed since last January may not be in the shape they seem. UL advises inspecting all electronics for visible damage, such as broken sockets or frayed wires, before using them.
UL also recommends making sure holiday lighting carries the UL Mark, which shows a product has met benchmarks for safety and performance. A set that fails either check is better replaced than repaired on the porch.
A holiday installation follows the same order every year: plan the display, prepare the power, install and test, then take it down on schedule. Each display area needs its own approach.
| Display Area | Planning Notes | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Wrapped trees and shrubs | Measure trunk and branch spread, plan the nearest outlet, check how high the wrap needs to go | Front yards and the classic New Orleans holiday look |
| Porch and gallery railings | Attach without damaging historic trim, keep within the 90-day limit in historic districts | Shotguns, cottages and raised homes with a street-facing porch |
| Pathways and walks | Keep cords off the walking surface, light the route guests use | Homes set back from the sidewalk |
| Patios and terraces | Plan overhead runs and anchor points, keep seating areas clear of cords | Holiday parties and backyard gatherings |
Every installation starts with a look at the property. We note what will be lit, how far each area sits from an outlet and where cords can run without crossing a walkway.
Cost depends on the size of the space, the fixtures you choose and the installation needs. That is why we start with a free consultation and estimate rather than a set price.
Installation goes in the order the plan sets, with each area connected and checked before the next. For qualified purchases, we offer installation as part of the service.
Testing happens before the season starts, not on Thanksgiving evening. A display switched on and checked in daylight is one less thing to fix with guests on the way.
Every installation is built to look good and stay secure, without the rework that do-it-yourself projects often need.
Holiday lights are temporary by design, and the plan should say when they come down. In local historic districts, the HDLC’s 90-day limit sets the latest date for most homes, and late February is a natural point to clear them.
If you would rather have string lights on your patio all year, that is a different kind of design. Our post on using string lights year-round in New Orleans covers everyday ideas.
Holiday lighting in New Orleans runs on a short calendar. Dark comes by about 5:30 on Thanksgiving evening, November is the driest of the holiday months for installing, and homes in local historic districts have 90 days before temporary lights need HDLC review.
Planning before Thanksgiving turns that calendar into an advantage. The design is settled, the power is checked, the ladder work is handled and the lights are on when the first guests arrive.
A simple order keeps it on track:
Holiday lighting can also build on what is already in the yard. Our landscape lighting and deck and patio lighting ideas show how permanent lighting and a seasonal display can work together.
At TurnKey Lightings, we plan each holiday display around your home, your theme and the layout of your property.
To have your lights up before Thanksgiving, call us today at (504) 688-7205.
When should I book holiday lighting installation in New Orleans?
Early November gives the most room. Thanksgiving falls on November 26 in 2026, and booking before then lets the design, the outlets and the install date be settled so the lights are on for the first gatherings. Later dates are possible, but the season is already underway.
How long can holiday lights stay up in a New Orleans historic district?
The HDLC’s porch and gallery guidelines say traditionally temporary lights, such as seasonal Christmas lights, shall be installed for no longer than 90 days. If they stay up longer, they are subject to HDLC review and approval. Lights switched on November 27, 2026, would reach 90 days on February 25, 2027.
Is November a good time to install outdoor holiday lights here?
Yes. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the New Orleans International Airport station show an average November high of 71.2 degrees F and 3.87 inches of rain, less than the December and January averages. Mild, drier days make the ladder and wiring work easier.
How many strings of holiday lights can I connect together?
Follow the limit on the light set’s own instructions. The CPSC advises never stringing together more than three sets of incandescent lights and never overloading electrical outlets. UL Solutions also advises against connecting multiple power strips together.
Why hire someone to hang holiday lights?
Ladder work is the biggest risk. The CPSC reports about 160 Christmas decorating-related injuries a day during the holiday season, with nearly half involving falls. An installer also plans the power and the attachment points so the display stays secure through the season.
What colors are popular for holiday lights in New Orleans?
Our holiday theme uses classic white, warm gold, or red and green, often wrapped around trees and shrubs. A color-changing system can switch to red and green for Christmas and to other colors for later celebrations.
Do I need a special outlet for outdoor holiday lights?
Every display needs enough outlet capacity for the strings it powers, without overloading any outlet or chaining power strips. If the plan calls for a new outdoor outlet or circuit, that is household electrical work for a licensed electrician.
Should I reuse last year’s holiday lights?
Only after checking them. UL advises inspecting lights for visible damage, such as broken sockets or frayed wires, and making sure they carry the UL Mark. A set that fails either check is better replaced.
