For 100 out of the last 102 New Year’s Eves, people from around the world have rung in the New Year by watching a lighted ball drop over New York’s Times Square (the two exceptions being during WWII, when the New Year was instead met with a moment of silence followed by the ringing of church bells).

Although the tradition hasn’t changed, the ball itself has gone through a lot of changes over the century, the most recent being to go green by replacing its combination of incandescent and halogen bulbs with energy efficient LED lamps. As we prepare to ring in not just another new year, but a whole new decade, here are some facts about this year’s New Year’s Eve Ball to keep in mind as we approach its annual hour to shine.

‘Tis the season for entertaining guests. Whether hosting a big holiday bash or a small, intimate dinner party, you want your lighting to set the right tone and to feel as special as the holidays themselves. Although the season brings to mind all things “merry and bright,” that doesn’t necessarily extend to your lighting. Follow these tips to achieve an inviting lighting scheme that will make your guests feel reluctant to leave.

The key to party lighting is to combine softness with sparkle. Soft light sets a warm, inviting tone that makes your guests want to linger. Dim or darken overhead lights, and allow accent lighting to create warm pools of light around conversation areas. Dimmed lighting will also let your Christmas tree or other holiday lights shine more brightly, creating a festive holiday mood.

Add to the ambience with candlelight by spreading votives or pillars around the room’s perimeter. If you have a fireplace, light a fire (if it’s a faux fireplace, light a grouping of pillar candles in the hearth). If there are children in attendance, consider battery-operated flameless candles or LED tea lights. You can also emulate candlelight by stringing clear holiday twinkle lights across the mantle or along bookcases, creating soft, ambient light with a hint of holiday glitter. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re not one of those people who had their holiday gift shopping done by September, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. The pressure of last-minute shopping can make gift ideas even harder to come by. We’re here to help with some ideas for giving the gift of light this holiday season.

This time of year, when it comes to lighting, many people’s focus turns to holiday lights. As much as holiday lights can be a source of joy and wonder throughout the season, they can also be a source of frustration, as well as a safety hazard. Below are some tips to help take the frustration out of lighting up the holidays, and to help ensure that your holiday season is a safe and happy one.

Indoor lights – one common source of holiday frustration is putting lights on the tree only to find that there aren’t enough to cover the whole tree. A good rule of thumb is to plan on either 20 large 60 small bulbs per foot, so when purchasing new lights, pay attention to bulb count, since the number of bulbs per string vary according to manufacturer and style. A six foot tree will need 120 large bulbs, or 360 small ones, so plan accordingly.

Before putting lights up, it’s a good idea to plug them in and check the string for any frayed wires or broken bulbs. If you need to replace worn out lights with new ones, consider selecting LED lights. They cost a bit more up front, but the light they provide is clearer and brighter than that of incandescent bulbs, and they use so little power that they’ll more than make up the difference in your electric bill. Better yet, they burn cool, which makes them a safer choice as there’s no chance of them overheating and igniting the tree on fire. Read the rest of this entry »