Holiday Home Preparation for Modern Homeowners: Top Tips

Modern homeowners are finding new ways to do their holiday home preparation whether it’s the lights they use, or time and energy they spend putting up decorations. They are more conscious of the costs, and energy needed to run expensive old fashioned decorations. The equipment today and the modern homeowner attitudes mean they are more energy efficient and look to longer lasting experiences. Read on to learn more.

The Evolution of Holiday Home Prep for Modern Homeowners

Holiday home prep is different now.

A lot different.

The insane knot of lights that used to be your holiday decoration strategy has been replaced. With something else.

The modern way to deck the halls.

Take a closer look at how millennials approach holiday decorating these days and the shift becomes clear.

Quick summary:

The Shift In Holiday Home Prep
Tech Enabled Holiday Decorating
Sustainable Christmas Lights
Experience Over Stuff

The Shift In Holiday Home Prep

Holiday decorating isn’t what it used to be. Even a few years ago.

Homeowners these days don’t want blinking colored lights strung every which way. They want displays that fit their lifestyles. Are convenient to use. And better look too.

So what’s driving the change? Let’s dig into the research.

Millennials have changed how people approach holiday lights and decorating. When it comes to decking the halls, this generation values authenticity over impressing the neighbors. They don’t want tons of decorations covering their home.

They want decorations that look good. Minimalism is beautiful, and millennial holiday lighting trends prove it.

Homeowners desire streamlined lighting collections that complement their style, not overwhelm it. So while you might see one elaborate display on Instagram, you won’t see dozens flowing from every window.

In fact, millennial homeowners want lighting systems that:

Look high-end. A tasteful white roofline is far more popular than blinking every color of the rainbow.
Are easy to set up. Parents have better ways to spend their time than messing with hundreds of tiny lights.
Are reusable. Nothing’s taken down at the end of the season and thrown in a box in the garage.

Which begs the question…

What does that kind of lighting display look like?

Beautiful. And simpler than you think.

Tech Enabled Holiday Decorating

Smart home technology changed everything.

No more hanging lights while half frozen on a ladder. No more running outside to turn your holiday light display on and off. Technology allows homeowners to manage their entire lighting setup from their phone or tablet.

Want proof?

Consider this. The global smart Christmas light market reached $1.74 billion in 2024. Analysts predict it will continue growing yearly.

Homeowners are buying smart lighting systems that allow them to:

Control brightness and color changes from their phone
Sync lights to music for dynamic holiday light shows
Schedule display on/off times
Set up voice commands through smart home assistants

Mind blown yet?

This connected tech is especially appealing to millennial and younger homeowners who likely already have smart home devices. Adding smart lights to your Roku or Alexa setup is simple.

Technological advances have also made the lighting itself more appealing.

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Who doesn’t love lights they can customize?

Changed your mind about color-changing lights? These days you can set timers that change color throughout the night. Warm white lights for a cozy atmosphere one evening. Crazy fun colors for your holiday party the next.

With most systems, it’s as simple as pressing a button. And you’re not restricted to certain times of the year, either.

Holiday lights are so customizable nowadays, many homeowners keep their light displays up year-round. They simply change the color to match the occasion.

Green for St. Patrick’s Day. Red, white, and blue for the 4th of July. You get the idea.

using decorative lights year round — Holiday home prep can be used throughout the year
Photo credit – **Taryn Elliott**

Sustainable Christmas Lights

What millennials and Gen Z demonstrate about holidays…

They don’t have to create waste.

That wraps back around to Christmas lights and decorations.

LED lights are more energy efficient than ever. Many light strands now use 80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. That means homeowners can decorate to their heart’s content without worry.

Energy efficiency is just one part of the sustainability story, though.

Many homeowners also prefer:

Decorations they can reuse year-after-year
Natural elements (think greenery and pinecones)
Recyclable materials and eco-friendly packaging
Solar powered sets for outdoors

The mindset of millennial holiday lighting trends is affecting how major companies package, ship, and design their lights as well. Many now offer LED options that focus on sustainability.

Sustainability is also influencing interior design.

Natural elements are back in style. Organic textures, recycled materials, and plants are all on-trend for holiday decor…and decor year-round.

Best of all…

Eco-friendly decorations often look and smell better than old-school options. Nothing is more beautiful than fresh-cut evergreens draped around your home, lit by subtle warm lights.

Capture the experience. 📷

Experience Over Stuff

Wait, there’s more…

Millennial holiday lighting trends aren’t just about how lights look. They’re also about the experiences lights create.

According to Eventbrite, 74% of millennials and Gen Z would rather give or receive experiences than traditional gifts. Holiday lights and decorating fit right into this trend.

Millennials and Gen Z want their lighting displays to:

Create experiences for guests and family
Set the mood for gatherings
Be Instagram-worthy
Coordinate with neighbours (Think holiday light competitions, but friendlier.)

No longer are holiday lights just something you put up before December 25th. They’re decorations that modern homeowners use to reinforce themes they’re creating with parties and gatherings. They help to make stunning and welcoming holiday home prep.

holiday lights are used all year round in some homes — Some modern homeowners like to use holiday home lights year round as decorations.
Photo credit- ClickerHappy

Another huge change?

Holiday light installation pros. 🙌

Millennials and younger homeowners don’t want to spend their weekends hanging lights, whether its for holiday home prep or simply to decorate their homes during the year. They’re willing to pay for the convenience and safety that comes from leaving it to professionals.

Who can blame them?

Hanging lights is dangerous. Climb a ladder with wet gloves on ice? Play with electricity while standing in snow? Yeah…no thanks.

It’s no surprise that millennials set the trend for increased professional holiday light installations.

Looking Towards Tomorrow’s Holiday Lighting Trends

The world of holiday decorating isn’t going to stop changing tomorrow.

As more millennials become homeowners, the trends highlighted in this article will continue to grow in popularity. Smart home tech will become even smarter. Sustainability efforts will improve. And the hunt for the ultimate experience will rage on.

But here’s the exciting part.

As a homeowner, these changes mean more decorating options than ever before. Want a minimalist look that comes together in minutes? There are smart lighting systems for that.

Dreaming of a full neighborhood blowout to rival your childhood hometown? Technology can help with that too.

Not to mention…

Decorating will be easier across the board. Technology has simplified everything from hanging to programming your holiday lights.

And it’s fun again.

Christmas lights and holiday decorating can return to what they should have always been. A joyful tradition that brings families together to create memories for years to come.

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Holiday Home Prep for Modern Homeowners in Conclusion

Millennials have changed holiday decorating forever.

Technology has simplified many of the headaches traditionally associated with holiday lights. Sustainability efforts are helping homeowners create gorgeous displays. And the new focus on capturing experiences has made decorating more fun.

Don’t hate the player. Join the game.

Go buy a few string of holiday lights. Better yet, start researching lighting displays that suit your family’s lifestyle.

Kick those old boxes of tangled lights to the curb where they belong.

See you out there. Don’t be stingy with the light this holiday season.