Every year around Halloween the phone starts ringing off the hook for Christmas lights. And every year we have to tell a lot of nice people the same thing: we're full. Here's how the timing really works so you don't end up climbing a ladder on Thanksgiving.
The Texas holiday lighting calendar
July and August: design and lock in
This is when the good installers start booking. If you want a custom design on a bigger home, this is the window. Wreath sizes, tree wrap counts, roofline runs, and color palette all get decided now so the material is ordered before the fall rush.
September and October: install window opens
Installs start going up as early as late September and run through mid-November. Warm days, no rain, and crews aren't buried yet. Lights stay off until you flip the switch on Thanksgiving.
November: last call
Reputable installers are usually full by early to mid-November. You can still get lights up, but your options shrink fast and the good crews are booked.
December: takedown planning
Good installers schedule takedowns starting the first week of January. It should be on your contract from day one, not a scramble after New Year's.
Why the good installers fill up so early
Christmas lighting is a short season with a hard deadline. Every crew can only install so many homes between late September and Thanksgiving. Once a schedule is full, taking on another house means shorting someone else's job, so most established installers stop booking once they're at capacity.
If you're still shopping in mid-November, your options for scheduling and material selection will likely be more limited, so it's worth reaching out early if timing matters to you.
What can happen if you wait too long
- Fewer scheduling options. Your preferred installer may already be booked.
- Custom material can be harder to source. Specific wreath sizes, C9 spacing, and warm-white vs pure-white bulbs can sell out.
- Design time gets compressed. There's less time to plan a custom look versus standard runs.
- Takedown can be delayed. A busy schedule can push takedowns later than planned.
What full-service Christmas lighting includes
- Custom design walk in daylight and, when possible, at dusk.
- Commercial-grade C9 or C7 bulbs, tree wrap, wreaths, and yard displays as needed.
- Professional installation on rooflines, gables, and trees.
- Season-long support if a bulb or run goes out.
- Takedown and storage in early January.
Book your Christmas lights before Labor Day
The safe rule for North Texas: reach out in July or August, definitely before Labor Day. We start the design, get you on the calendar, and you don't think about it again until your neighbors ask who did your lights.
