Friend,

Here’s why keeping Christmas lights out and on beyond the season is bad Feng Shui.

I'm not talking here just about lights that are marked "Christmas" on the box, but also lights that are marketed in a different way at the store – as ways to add a whimsical touch to children's or teen's bedrooms, or to add a soft mood in meditation or yoga rooms.

When you looked at the picture above, did you get a little nervous? Why?

The problem with string lights

Here’s the problem with string lights. 

String lights have a pretty part, the lights, and an ugly part, the cables.

The lights are pretty. No question about that.

When the lights are off, you only see the ugly part – the cables. 

The good part of string lights, that they are pretty, also has an ugly side – they flicker, even when you think they don’t. That flicker isn’t good for your eyes, or your brain. Lights that flicker contribute to headaches, migraines, and other conditions.

Hide all cables

For good Feng Shui, all cables should be hidden. 

• they’re not pretty to look at

• they tend to get tangled and things get caught in them

• they’re hard to clean

Furthermore, they are symbols of our minds and our nerves. After all, we hear people say “my wires are crossed,” or “my nerves are frazzled” when talking about their minds and nervous system. 

An exception for Christmas lights, but only during the season

We make an exception around Christmas, because the lights are pretty and they help us add some yang energy (hot, dry and light) during the most yin part of the year (cold, wet and dark).

But as soon as the Christmas season is over, those lights need to be taken down. 

A better alternative

If you have to have string lights year round in your home because you just love them so much, there’s an alternative for you. 

Hose LED lights are string lights that are protected by a transparent hose casing on the outside. There’s no chance for the cables to get tangled, and they are really easy to wipe clean.

There’s still the issue of the lights flickering, but solving two problems out of three ain’t bad!

Want to discuss keeping Christmas lights out year-round?

The best place to do it is in my free, private Facebook group here.