When to Put Up and Take Down Christmas Lights in Boise
In the Treasure Valley, the best time to hang Christmas lights is before the weather turns, not the weekend after Thanksgiving. Here’s a simple timeline for getting lights up, when the valley’s big displays come on, and when people take them down.
Hang them early, turn them on when you’re ready
Boise’s first measurable snow comes around November 23 on average, and it has come as early as October 10. November highs slide from about 56°F to 42°F over the month. Lights are easiest to hang on a dry roofline in early to mid November. Hanging them early doesn’t mean switching them on early: you decide when to turn them on.
When the valley lights up
Most of the valley’s big public lights come on in mid to late November. Last season, Scentsy’s Meridian campus opened its lights on November 14, and the Downtown Boise holiday tree at the Grove Plaza is lit the Friday after Thanksgiving. If you want your home lit for Thanksgiving weekend, plan to have the lights up before then. Here’s where to see Christmas lights around the valley.
Book your install in the fall
Install calendars fill up as the holidays get closer, so the earlier you ask for a quote, the more choice of dates you get. October is a great time to get your quote in. We answer every quote request within one business day, with zero pressure to book. Every fall we text our past customers to get their lights back on the schedule, so returning homes are ready without lifting a finger.
Long nights mean more hours lit
In early and mid December, the sun sets around 5:09 PM in Boise, so lights get plenty of hours to shine every evening. LED lights keep that easy on your power bill.
When to take them down
We couldn’t find a Treasure Valley city rule on when holiday lights have to come down, but check your HOA’s rules if you have one. Around the valley, the public displays come down on different schedules: Nampa’s downtown tree comes down in January and becomes mulch, last season Scentsy’s lights stayed on through January 19, and Caldwell’s Indian Creek Plaza kept its lights up through February.
With us, takedown happens on a date you pick: right after New Year’s or a few weeks later, usually in January or February. We take down the lights, clips and cords and store your lights until next season.
A simple timeline
- October: get your quote and pick an install date.
- Early to mid November: lights go up while the roofline is dry.
- Thanksgiving weekend: switch them on with the rest of the valley, or whenever you like.
- January or February: takedown on your date, then your lights go into storage for next year.