Professional christmas light packages take the guesswork out of starting or scaling a holiday lighting business. Instead of sourcing bulbs, wire, clips, and accessories separately, you get a matched kit ready for installation. That saves time, prevents compatibility issues, and gets you on roofs faster.
| Package Component | Pricing Baseline | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Package (100 linear feet) | $8-$12 per foot | Installation |
| Minimum Ticket | $1,000 | Installation only |
| Target Package Value | $1,500-$2,000 | Installation + Takedown + Storage |
- Calculate roofline length (typical starting point: 100 linear feet)
- Apply pricing formula ($8-$12 per linear foot)
- Set minimum ticket at $1,000 to ensure profitability
- Build toward $1,500-$2,000 target with expanded scope
- Include installation, takedown, and storage in every package
- Require 50% deposit at booking
I have watched thousands of contractors launch christmas light businesses through our 43,000-plus member community at ChristmasLightsHQ. The ones who start with curated packages book their first jobs weeks before the ones who try to piece together inventory from five different suppliers. The beauty of a package is simplicity — you can get everything you need in one order and not worry about missing anything.
What to Know Before Buying Lights
Watch these videos from our YouTube channel on pricing, bidding, and choosing the right bulbs. Understanding the business side matters just as much as the product side.
Sell the Jobs First, Then Buy the Lights
This is the advice I give every new contractor and it is the most important thing in this entire article. Do not go buy a bunch of lights before you have jobs booked. Go sell the jobs first. Get your 50 percent deposit from the homeowner. Then buy the lights to fulfill those jobs.
Too many first-year contractors spend $3,000 to $5,000 on inventory before they have a single customer. Then they are sitting on product and stressed about money. Flip it around — sell first, collect the deposit, then order. The deposit covers your material cost and you are profitable from day one.
If you want to buy lights early and get the best price, the time to do that is January or February, or right at the end of the season when suppliers are clearing stock. That is when you will find the best deals. But only do this if you have cash from the previous season to invest.
What Is in a Professional Christmas Light Package?
Our standard package at ChristmasLightsHQ is built around a 100-foot kit. Here is what a typical 100-foot package includes:
C9 LED bulbs: Commercial-grade, one-piece plastic construction. All our bulbs are plastic — nobody uses glass anymore. The Tuff bulb comes with a five-year warranty, which means you are using the same bulbs across multiple seasons without replacement. Warm white is the most popular, with options for multi-color and custom mixes.
Stringer wire: SPT-1 wire (18-gauge) with pre-installed E17 sockets at either 12-inch or 15-inch spacing. At 12-inch spacing, a 100-foot package gives you right at 100 feet of lit coverage. At 15-inch spacing, you get about 125 feet of coverage from the same number of sockets. We use SPT-1 for all seasonal work — it is the same 18-gauge copper wire as SPT-2, just with a thinner jacket, and it is more flexible and easier to work with.
Clips: 100 tough clips (enclosed clips) that cover gutters, trim, and most mounting surfaces. These are the clips we use for the vast majority of installations.
Timer: One heavy-duty outdoor timer for scheduling the display.
Wire and connectors: Extension wire plus male and female connectors so you can make your own custom-length power runs. We do not buy pre-made extension cords — we build our own using zip wire, males, and females. This lets you make exactly the length you need for each job instead of dealing with excess cord hanging off the house.
How to Size Packages for Different Jobs
The right number of packages depends on the house size. Here is how to think about it:
A small ranch home with 100 to 150 feet of roofline needs one to two packages. A two-story home with 200 to 300 feet of roofline needs two to three packages. Large estates and commercial properties need four-plus packages. Use the christmas light calculator to get exact footage before ordering.
The key is measuring the house before you order, not guessing. Walk the roofline with a measuring wheel or use satellite measurement tools. Add 10 to 15 percent overage for waste, corners, and extras. Running short on a Saturday afternoon means an incomplete job and an unhappy customer.
Pricing Your Jobs and Average Ticket
Your average ticket should start at $1,000 minimum. That is the floor. Our target for most contractors in the community is a $1,500 to $2,000 average ticket. You get there through upsells — trees, bushes, columns, window framing, and pathway lighting.
Those add-ons are where the real money is. A single 10-foot tree wrap can add $600 to a job. Bush lighting, column wraps, and window framing can easily add $500 to $1,000 to the base roofline price. When you walk a property with the homeowner, point out every area that could be lit. Most homeowners do not know what is possible until you show them.
For detailed pricing strategies and how to build profitable bids, check out our christmas light installation pricing guide and bidding guide.
Why Packages Save Contractors Time and Money
Time is money in a seasonal business. Ordering bulbs from one vendor, wire from another, clips from a third, and connectors from a fourth eats hours. Each vendor has different shipping times, minimum orders, and return policies. A single package order arrives in one shipment with matched components.
Compatibility is guaranteed because the bulbs, sockets, wire, and clips are all tested to work together. No more showing up to a job and finding out the bulb does not fit the socket or the clip does not match the wire.
Volume pricing matters too. Buying a package costs less than buying components individually. The per-unit cost drops because the supplier bundles volume. That lower cost goes straight to your margin.
Making Your Own Extension Cords
This is a detail that separates professionals from beginners. We do not buy pre-made extension cords. We rarely use them at all. Instead, we build custom power runs using SPT-1 zip wire with male and female connectors (also called zip plugs).
Here is why: a pre-made 50-foot extension cord on a job that needs 30 feet of power run means 20 feet of excess cord hanging or coiled up somewhere. That looks sloppy. With zip wire and connectors, you cut exactly the length you need. Clean install, no excess, professional appearance.
Every package should include the wire, males, and females to build at least two to three custom power runs. For a deeper dive into building custom wire runs, read our C9 stringer wire guide.
How to Upsell Beyond the Base Package
The base roofline package gets you on the house. Upsells are where you build your average ticket from $1,000 up to $2,000 or more.
Tree wrapping: This is one of the biggest upsell opportunities. A 10-foot tree can add $600 to a job by itself. Multiple trees in a front yard can add $1,000 or more to the ticket. Read our tree wrapping guide for techniques.
Bush and hedge lighting: Quick to install and high visual impact. Bush lighting adds $200 to $500 depending on the number and size of bushes.
Column wrapping: Front porch columns wrapped with lights look incredible and are fast to install. Typical add: $100 to $200 per column.
Window and door framing: Framing windows and the front door with C9s adds $300 to $600 depending on how many windows. See our windows and doors guide.
Pathway lighting: C9 stakes or ground-mounted lights along walkways and driveways. Easy install with high curb appeal.
Common Package Buying Mistakes
Buying lights before you have jobs. Sell first, collect the 50 percent deposit, then order materials. Your deposit should cover your product cost so you are never out of pocket.
Waiting too long to order. Popular colors and configurations sell out by October. If you are ordering for the season, get your order in by September. If you want the best prices, buy in January or February at the end of the previous season.
Not matching components. C9 bulbs need E17 sockets. C7 bulbs need E12 sockets. Packages eliminate this risk because everything is already matched, but if you are buying individual components, double-check compatibility.
Skipping the overage. A 10 to 15 percent material overage is not waste — it is insurance. Running short on install day means an incomplete job.
Buying pre-made extension cords. Build your own custom power runs with zip wire and male/female connectors. Pre-made cords create a sloppy look with excess cord and limit your flexibility on every job.
Related Guides
- Christmas Light Installation Pricing Guide
- How to Bid Christmas Light Jobs
- How to Start a Christmas Light Business
- Equipment List: Everything You Need
- Best Christmas Light Clips
Frequently Asked Questions
What comes in a standard 100-foot christmas light package?
A standard 100-foot package includes C9 LED bulbs (plastic, one-piece construction with a five-year warranty), SPT-1 stringer wire at 12-inch or 15-inch spacing, 100 tough clips, one outdoor timer, and extension wire with male and female connectors for building custom power runs. At 12-inch spacing you get about 100 feet of coverage; at 15-inch spacing you get about 125 feet.
Should I buy lights before I have jobs booked?
No. Sell the jobs first, collect your 50 percent deposit from the homeowner, and then buy the lights. The deposit covers your material cost. If you want to buy lights early at the best price, do it in January or February when suppliers are clearing end-of-season inventory.
What should my average ticket be for christmas light installation?
Your starting point should be $1,000 minimum for a basic roofline. Target a $1,500 to $2,000 average ticket by adding upsells like trees, bushes, columns, and window framing. A single 10-foot tree wrap can add $600 to a job. Multiple add-ons can push individual jobs to $2,500 or more.
Do I need SPT-2 wire in my packages?
No. SPT-1 is what we use for all seasonal christmas light installations. Both SPT-1 and SPT-2 are 18-gauge wire — the only difference is the jacket thickness. SPT-1 is more flexible, easier to work with, and costs less. SPT-2 is only necessary for permanent installations or extreme cold climates.
Why do professional installers build their own extension cords?
We build custom power runs using SPT-1 zip wire with male and female connectors instead of buying pre-made extension cords. This lets you cut exactly the length you need for each job — no excess cord hanging off the house. It looks more professional, costs less per foot, and gives you complete flexibility on every installation.