The fun of lighting your outdoor events or spaces has increased exponentially with the advent of patio string lights. The only choices we used to have were the strings of the big Christmas tree lights and Chinese paper lanterns with low watt bulbs. Since the small Christmas tree lights, sometimes called fairy lights, started coming on the market, the possibilities for decorative lighting have exploded. Because the small lights do not get so hot, a plastic light cover can be placed over each light bulb. The white lights give off enough light to show through the thin plastic of the light cover, and the light cover tempers the amount of light each bulb gives, reducing the glare. This allows the lights to be hung near gathering places without blinding the people using them.

The plastic light covers began with simple red chili pepper shapes, but soon there were hundreds of designs, and there are bound to be several for any personality type. There are fish and animals for the outdoors person, there are martini and margarita glasses for the indoors person. There are dogs and cats and birds to complement our pets. There are flowers, fall leaves and snowflakes to mark the passing of the seasons. There are Santas, snowmen, driedles, and presents for the year end celebrations. Bunnies and chicks are suitable for the spring green-up, and lawn mowers. suns, umbrellas and beach balls for the summer. Flip-flops and palm trees or cactus and campers can be a reminder of one of your past vacations.

All the major cartoon makers have put out patio string lights with their characters, whether is it Disney, Warner Brothers or another. You can use these for theme parties. Chinese lanterns are now available in the small size to fit these lights. You can get mortar boards to celebrate someone’s graduation, bells for a wedding or baby buggies for a baby shower. There are patio string lighting for all the major sports, the major league teams, and some for college teams. The choices are nearly endless.

As for being an American collectible, these lights in their plastic covers represent all the events and activities of our society. They fit other societies as well, but they really show the American way of life, as well as our willingness to advertise our hobbies and activities in a basically frivolous way. They show the work we do to some extent, as there are some professional figures and symbols, but they particularly show us at play. All the avocations, sports, hobbies and skills can be represented using one or more patio string lights.

Now we have LED lights in strings for outdoor decorating. These lights are even smaller and give out a lot of light. Nets of colored lights are made for covering bushes in celebration, and icicle light for the eaves of the roof are made to brighten the shortest days of the year. A new generation of Christmas tree lights is making us change our methods, and giving us new possibilities, as making these light strings blink is easier and the patterns can be more complicated. These new outdoor patio string lights use very little electricity and do not generate heat. This will encourage even more use of patio light strings both inside and outside. Start looking around at garden and home stores and see what you can find.

* * * Add wind spinners to your yard for day light movement and flash. * * *

* * * Wrought iron chandeliers enhance you living space, both inside and out. * * *

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