In the 17th century Christmas trees were illuminated with tiny candles attached to branches by wax or with pins. Because they were considered a fire hazard Christmas trees were not lit until Christmas Eve. Fast forward up until today and we have electric lights which can transform an ordinary evergreen tree, into a spectacular sparkling light display for all to see. But, before you are able to string up the lights, there are some important materials which you will need. These items include gloves, a latter, String(s) of lights, and Extension cords.

If you use last years lights, inspect them before placing them on your tree. Ensure that there are no frayed wires, burnt out bulbs or cracked sockets. If you need to purchase lights, make sure you buy 100 lights for every foot of tree you need to cover. Consider using LED lights; they cost a bit more than traditional glass bulbs, but they are cool to the touch, last longer, and consume less energy. Do not purchase more lights than you need or you will over saturate the tree with lights which results in a cluttered look. Also, excessive lighting has been known to cause electrical problems such as blown fuses or electrical fires. If, you absolutely must have more lights, check the instructions which came with the lights or consult with the manufacturer to see how many lights your standard power outlet can handle. When purchasing lights, understand that strings of lights come in 2 styles, “Stacked or End to End.” Generally, ‘Stacked’ plugs allow you to join multiple strands together where the ‘End to End,’ brands don't.

With string lights, start be placing the lights at the top of the tree. Begin, form the top. Using a latter, position your self, so you can grab hold of the trees top trunk. Wrap the string of lights around the trunk and weave the lights downward around the trunk. Be careful not to break any branches while doing this. Continue until you have worked your way down to the bottom of the tree. If, necessary connect plugs-ins allowing for a continuous strand. Once finished, we'll move on to the next stage that will have you weaving lights on the outer branches of the tree. Next, begin placing the string of lights over the branches, allowing them to rest gently on the branches. You may want to tie several of the wires to the tree's branches using small wire; this will ensure they don't fall off. Slowly make your way to the bottom; you may need to use an extension cord to reach your power outlet. If you plan on using extension chords, make sure you don't use more than two extension cords as you will increase the risk of electrical problems. If you have an artificial tree, the procedure is the same, the only difference would be you should wrap the lights around the branches of the tree, instead of letting the lights lay on top. In most cases, artificial trees do not have the branch thickness real trees do.

If you want your tree to be a little bit brighter and have more strings of lights you may need to use a different technique when weaving in the strings of the lights. If you need examples, look at the Christmas trees you find on display at the shopping mall. Look closer and you‘ll see how professionals weave the lights within the trees trunk and branches. Learning how to weave strings of lights within a tree is an art, and takes a lot of practice. If you are interested in learning more about weaving lights, consult your local Christmas shop, they will know best and perhaps even teach you a thing or two..

Creating beautiful and functional lighting has never been easier than it is today; this is due to how easy it is to throw up a few strings of rope lights. These LED wonders allow anyone to create beautiful indoor or outdoor lighting that is just as functional as it is beautiful.

Be it Christmas lights, everyday mood lighting, festive party decorating, or functional and beautiful accent lighting, all of these effects can easily be achieved by virtually anyone simply by hanging up a few strings of LED rope lights.

LED rope lights are a fairly recent development thanks to advancements in LED technology. LED's, or light emitting diodes, are similar in operation to a standard light bulb. Ultimately the difference between the two is that an LED doesn't have a filament while a standard light bulb does. Filaments are the leading cause of a standard bulb failure; the tendancy for failure comes when the filament burns out.

In an LED light, the light is created by introducing electrons into a semi-conductor. The end result is the production of light without the added heat of a standard bulb. Another major advantage of this method of creating light is a drastic reduction in the amount of electricity needed to produce the light.

A 150 bulb section of LED rope lights will produce the same light as a standard 150 mini light string while using only 10% of the electricity. This reduced electricity consumption is saving you money as you produce beautiful and functional lighting effects.

LED rope lights are weather proof; each strand of lights is in enclosed in a clear plastic tube. This tube not only protects the lights from damage and the elements, but greatly increases the ease when handling the lights. Another great feature is that each strand of LED rope lights rolls up for easy storage, much like rolling up a small hose; No more tangled strands of lights.

The tubing enclosure also makes attaching the lights to deck edges, deck rails, window trim, or silhouette lines of a home far easier than with traditional strings of lights. The tubing easily follows the contours you are wanting to decorate, resulting in a much simpler application.

LED rope lights connect end to end, making a weather tight connection. This allows you to easily and quickly connect lengths of LED rope lights together to fit your needs.

In recent years,LEDs have went from the red dimly lit LED to brightly colored and very bright lights. LEDs are even bright enough now to be used in flashlights; replacing the standard bulbs. Today, LED rope lights can be found in virtually any color; from decorative multicolor  to  beautiful Holiday colors that make LED rope lights a perfect choice for Christmas Lights.

The durability, easy to use design, and the cost effectiveness of these LED rope lights make them a perfect and cost effective choice for decorative lighting, as well as all your Holiday lighting needs.

When you purchase LED rope lights, you are buying a product that will give you several times the use of traditional string lights, with a 90% reduction of electricity. Add in the ease of handling and mounting, and it makes it a no brainer choice that LED rope lights are a great economical choice for every homeowner.

Replicas of Egyptian costumes are very popular for Halloween parties as well as for themed parties throughout the year. One of the most popular is, of course, the Egyptian costume that pays tribute to one of the most famous pharaohs of the period, namely Cleopatra.

A Little History and the Egyptian Costume

From a historical viewpoint it is not exactly clear whether or not Cleopatra was a beautiful woman as accounts vary. However, it is universally accepted and all accounts confirm the fact that she was incredibly attractive in her manner as well as in looks. Whether it was her power or her beauty that made her so attractive to the men in her life, we shall never know the truth. Cleopatra would have worn a number of different styles and this fact, coupled with her legendary status, has made her an excellent influence for the Egyptian costume we see today in retail stores. However, one has to wonder what the real Cleopatra VII Philopater would have worn.

The Egyptian Costume and Hellenic Influences

Cleopatra would have most likely worn styles that were heavily influenced by Greek fashion for her daily garb as she was descended from a family that hailed from Greece but had ruled Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great. Her outfit would have consisted of an under-dress made of linen and a long robe worn on top made of the same fabric. She would also have worn an outer cloak if she conformed completely to the Greek and Roman styles of the period.

However, it should be remembered that Egyptian climate was much warmer than that of Greece or Rome so it is quite possible that Cleopatra’s Egyptian Halloween costume would have consisted of fewer pieces. The colors mentioned in reference to her clothing are all bright and have little to do with the eternal white she is always portrayed as wearing in the movies or on stage. She would have worn clothing ranging from scarlet, to purple, yellow and blue, just to name a few. Therefore, an Egyptian costume for Halloween does not necessarily need to be white if one is impersonating Cleopatra, even though the majority are.

Cleopatra’s Egyptian Costume for State Affairs

For formal affairs Cleopatra seemed to dress as the goddess Isis, according to Plutarch, which would have meant a more traditional Egyptian costume, lacking in Hellenic or Roman influence. If she dressed according to the ancient paintings of Isis, then her dress would have been a tight tunic with shoulder straps to hold the dress up. Paintings depict the dress as having alternating bands of color including dark green, pale red and a grayish green.

A headdress to complete this Egyptian costume of Isis would have been compulsory. It featured a round disk that was supported by two vipers which had ears of corn next to them. She would have also worn the staple makeup of the time, namely kohl around her eyes as well as ochre on her lips.