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Get Accustomed to Picnic Tables in Winter

Many people go crazy with outdoor lights at Christmastime, covering not only their entire houses, but everything in their yards, including the bushes, trees, mailboxes, outdoor furniture, and picnic tables.  While, naturally, using lights so unabashedly can be garish, it can also be done tastefully, by someone with creative vision, a detailed plan, and a good deal of experience.

If you’re new to outdoor Christmas lighting, it’s best to start small, decorating only a few items, then adding more each year (or not).  Before you begin, make sure that you know how to properly use and handle your lights.  Although they may be safer than those that were popular years ago, they also come in many more varieties, so it’s just as important to read – and heed – the labels, which should always have the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo on them.

 Before you put up your lights, be certain that they’re designed specifically for outdoor use (this goes for extension cords, too), and replace any that are burned out, as they can drain power from the other bulbs.  Inspect wires for spots that are cracked or worn out, and keep lights and cords away from puddles, and other sources of water.

 Use a sturdy ladder, and have someone steady it for you, when you’re decorating tall trees, and use clips or twist ties to secure the lights to the branches.  If you’re stringing the trunk of a deciduous tree, begin at the base, and continue in an upward spiral.  On an evergreen, start at the top, and descend in a zigzag pattern through the tree’s center, making it progressively wider as you go down.  To save lights, decorate only the sides of a tree that are visible to passersby; and don’t put lights on any tree that comes into contact with power lines. 

 Never connect different types of lights, or more sets than are recommended by the manufacturer.  Avoid overloads by putting no more than 1,400 watts on a circuit (if an overload occurs, the lights in the house will dim when you turn on your display).  Always turn off outdoor lights before you go to bed, and when you’re going to be away from home. 

 Whether it’s your first outdoor display, or your fiftieth, don’t be afraid to use your imagination.  You can create eye-catching focal points by lighting unusual things, such as empty birdbaths, planters, decorative wheelbarrows, and vintage plows, tractors, bicycles, or wagons; and if you haven’t stored your picnic table for the winter, it’s really not such a bad idea to put some lights on it. 

 This is a beautiful way to make use of it during a time that has not traditionally been associated with picnic tables.  Of course, this has been changing rapidly, as the nation is being swept by a new tradition, wherein millions of people are enclosing their porches and patios, and using their picnic tables year-round; and they’re turning to AllPicnicTables.com to furnish these indoor/outdoor rooms.

 At AllPicnicTables.com, along with classic, decay-resistant wood tables, there’s an incredible selection of metal and synthetic tables that are nearly indestructible, and available in sizes, styles, and colors to complement any décor.  Furthermore, even though many of them can withstand the harshest elements, you won’t have to, because you can do all of your shopping right from home.  Indeed, it will be very easy to get accustomed to this custom.

  To browse the entire collection of picnic tables and outdoor dining sets, visit AllPicnicTables.com.  If you wish to contact a design consultant or a customer service representative, call 888-293-2339, or e-mail contact@allpicnictables.com. 

About the Author

Kathy Moran for Cedarstore.com
Cedarstore.com
AllPicnicTables.com
AllOutdoorPatioFurniture.com

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