The DIY holiday lights guide

Hang your own lights like the pros do.

The exact supplies we use and the 5-step method behind every Tango roofline. Clip it once, enjoy it for years.

Go from “bah” to “ahh.”
Part 1 · The shopping list

Six things. That’s the whole kit.

Commercial-grade gear. The same stuff on our trucks. Measure your roofline first (Step 1) so you only buy what you need.

01The lights

Commercial C7/C9 stringer + LED bulbs

The socket wire you’ll cut to fit, plus the bulbs that go in it. LED runs cool and sips power.

Shop stringers →
02Gutters + shingles

C9 Circle Clip V2 Plus (100-pack)

One clip per bulb. Holds every light straight and evenly spaced along your gutter line.

Shop circle clips →
03Peaks + ridges

Ridge Clip Pro X2 (25-pack)

For the ridgeline and roof peaks, where a gutter clip has nothing to grab.

Shop ridge clips →
04The dark spans

SPT1 500′ extension wire, black

Plain, bulb-free wire. Bridges the stretches you want dark and gets you back to the outlet.

Shop wire spool →
05Connectors

Male zip plug, SPT1 (10-pack)

Clamps onto the start of each cut run. No stripping, no splicing.

Shop male plugs →
06Connectors

Female zip plug w/ knockout tab (10-pack)

Caps the far end of each run so the next one plugs right in.

Shop female plugs →
Part 2 · The method

Five steps to a roofline that glows.

1

Measure your roofline.

Walk every gutter, peak, and ridge you want lit and write down each length. Sketch it, mark your outdoor outlet, and note the stretches you want to stay dark.

2

Custom-cut the spool to length.

Cut each run to match your measurements, cutting between sockets, so every run starts and ends clean. Custom fit is what makes it look pro, not store-bought.

3

Bulb and clip every single light.

One bulb and one clip in every socket. Circle clips on the gutters, ridge clips up top. Fair warning: year one takes a long time. Put on a podcast.

Pro tip: leave the clips on when you pack up. Year two goes way faster.

4

Bridge the gaps with connectors.

For the parts you don’t want lit, cut plain SPT1 wire to span them. A male zip plug on one end, a female on the other, and your whole display stays on one circuit.

5

Plug it all together.

Start at the outlet and connect run to run. Test before you climb down. It’s a lot easier to swap a bulb while you’re still up there. Then step back. Ahh.

Ladder safety: have a spotter, every time.

Don’t want to do all of this?

Skip the ladder.

Book Tango.

We measure, cut, clip, and hang every bulb. You just flip the switch.

Tango mouse with a candy cane