It’s that time of year when many people start decorating the outside of their homes for the holidays. Our Ryan Peterson gives us a few tips.

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Well, it's that time of year again. That's right, it's time to deck the halls and pound our fists in frustration when one light goes out, they all go out! I'm talking about holiday decorations of course. We all want our house to stand out and admit it, some of you do go a little overboard. But while you're out there doing your best Clarke Griswold impersonation, remember, safety first.

“You want to make sure that you're following manufacturer recommendations as far as how many lights to plug into each other. A lot of times, it's a limited amount. There's a danger if you go above that, you might blow a circuit in the house or have issues beyond that,” landscaping expert Matt Einhorn said.

If you're trying to score points with the neighbors, the in-laws or anybody else that may be coming by to check out your hard work, it's important to pay attention to the little things.

Einhorn said, “One nice thing is to pay attention to detail. A lot of people like to hide their extension cords, hide their timers and make sure they're not too obvious. It'll look neater, a little bit more professional.”

Now, this is the apple tree on my front lawn. I wrapped it with the older style, incandescent lights because, well, they were only $1.99 per 100 light strand. And they're the only lights I'm putting outside. But if you're the ambitious type and you're looking to install one of those giant light displays that is synchronized to music, you might consider spending the extra money for the LEDs.

“They use virtually no energy compared to the traditional lights. There are all kinds of LED lights and they're getting better year after year,” said Einhorn.

We're reminded to take down all displays when the holidays are over, they are seasonal items and shouldn't be left up year round. I know it sounds like common sense and it is, but make sure you're using cords and lights rated for outdoor use.