If you love the full Christmas look, with greenery, wreaths, wrapped trees, and big classic bulbs, a seasonal installation is hard to beat. If you’re tired of booking an install every fall and want lights you can use for every holiday, permanent lighting makes more sense. Many homeowners end up with both.
Here’s how the two options actually compare, and how to figure out which one fits your home or business.
What a seasonal installation is
A seasonal installation is the traditional approach, handled by a pro. A crew designs your display, puts it up in the fall, checks on it during the season, and takes it down after the holidays. With Christmas Lights by Amco, the decorations come with the service. You don’t buy the lights, and you don’t store them. We pack everything up after the season and keep it until next year.
Because it’s built fresh each year, a seasonal display can include just about anything: roofline lights, wrapped trees and shrubs, garland, wreaths, window lighting and yard decorations. See what’s included in our residential and commercial services.
What permanent lighting is
Permanent lighting is installed once and stays up all year. The LED lights sit in a low-profile track along your roofline that’s designed to blend in with your home during the day. At night, you control everything from your phone. Pick warm white for everyday, red and green in December, orange in October, or red, white and blue for the Fourth of July.
There’s no annual install date to chase, nothing to take down, and nothing to store. Learn more on our permanent lighting page.
Side-by-side comparison
| Seasonal installation | Permanent lighting | |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s installed | Clips and hooks put up each fall, taken down after the holidays | Low-profile track mounted once along the roofline, designed to blend in during the day |
| When it’s up | About November through early January | All year |
| The look | Classic bulbs plus greenery, garland, wreaths and wrapped trees | Clean, even line of LED light that can change color and pattern |
| Holidays covered | Christmas season | Any holiday or event you want, plus everyday accent lighting |
| Control | Usually on a timer | App on your phone (iOS and Android) |
| Each year | Book an install date, then takedown and storage | Nothing to book. Turn it on. |
| How you pay | Each season, with install, maintenance, takedown and storage included | A larger one-time investment, then little to no yearly cost |
When seasonal lighting makes more sense
- You want the full Christmas look. Greenery, garland, wreaths, and wrapped trees are seasonal by nature. Permanent lighting doesn’t replace them.
- You like changing things up. A seasonal design can be different every year. Add the front trees one year, the backyard the next.
- You may move in the next few years. A seasonal service doesn’t tie you to the house. Permanent lighting is an investment in the property.
- You’d rather not own anything. With an all-inclusive seasonal program, we maintain and replace the decorations as needed. There’s nothing in your garage.
When permanent lighting makes more sense
- You decorate for more than Christmas. Halloween, Chanukah, the Fourth of July, game days, birthdays. One system handles all of them.
- You’re tired of the yearly routine. No booking every fall, no install day, and no takedown day.
- You want lighting all year. Warm white along the roofline makes a home look finished at night and adds light around the property.
- You’re staying put. If you plan to be in the home for a long time, a one-time install spreads its value over many seasons.
- You run a business. Program your brand colors, then switch to holiday themes when the season comes around.
Why a lot of people do both
Permanent and seasonal lighting aren’t really competitors. Permanent lighting handles the roofline, which is the hardest part to install every year. Seasonal decorating handles the rest: the wreath on the door, garland on the railings, and lights wrapped through the trees. You get a roofline that’s always ready to go, and a full Christmas display when December comes around.
Questions to ask before you go permanent
Permanent lighting is a bigger decision than a one-season install, so get clear answers on these before you commit:
- What does the track look like during the day, and can it match my trim or gutters?
- What’s covered under warranty, and who do I call if a section stops working?
- Will it work with my roof style and gutters?
- Do I need a new outlet or an electrician?
- How does the app connect, and can more than one person in the house control it?
- Does my HOA have rules about exterior lighting?
A good installer will walk through all of this during the estimate, with your house in front of them.
Frequently asked questions
Are permanent Christmas lights worth it?
They’re worth it if you’ll use them beyond Christmas and plan to stay in your home for a while. If you only decorate in December and love the traditional look with greenery and wreaths, a seasonal installation is usually the better fit.
Can you see permanent lights during the day?
Permanent systems are built to keep a low profile. The lights sit in a track along the roofline that’s designed to blend in with your home’s trim.
Can permanent lights look like traditional Christmas lights?
They can be warm white, red and green, and plenty of other colors and patterns. They don’t replace greenery, garland, wreaths, or wrapped trees. That’s why many homeowners add a seasonal display on top.
Will permanent lights raise my electric bill?
Permanent systems use LED lights, which draw much less power than older incandescent strings. Since you control them from your phone, you can also set a schedule so they’re only on when you want them.
Is permanent lighting only for the holidays?
No, and that’s the main reason people choose it. You can use it for any holiday, special occasions, or simple warm white accent lighting every night of the year.
Not sure which one fits?
We install both, and estimates are always free. Tell us how you like to decorate and how long you plan to be in the home, and we’ll help you decide whether seasonal, permanent, or a mix of both makes the most sense. Request a free quote or contact us with any questions.
