Lighten up and throw an outdoor party

Cool party lights hit the stores each summer, and like crows attracted to shiny objects, people scoop them up and fly off with them.

Leah Theige, customer service manager for PartyLights.com, says strings of margarita glass- and lighthouse-shaped lights sell in a flash as more people are hosting fiesta-theme and beach-theme parties. The number of paper shades for lights that the Houston-based company sells has doubled because the lantern style has been so popular.

“More and more styles keep getting added,” Theige says. “It doesn’t stop.”

Most customers buy lights to string on their decks. But when it comes to doing something truly novel with novelty string lights, what can be done? Unlike Christmas lights, there’s no tall tree to trim in the living room, and decking the bushes out front with even the most tasteful party lights is a bit on the campy side.

“I have a bunch that never made it out of their packages,” says party expert Dan Meiners, florist and owner of Studio Dan Meiners in Kansas City, Mo. “I always buy them because they look fun, but I never know what to do with them.”

So Meiners brainstormed how to get the party lights outside the box: Stringing them on the patio umbrella – too common. Hanging them in backyard trees – cheesy. Making use of those metal shepherd’s hooks that take up space in the garage – bingo.

The electrifying idea Meiners came up with can be used at barbecue bashes, pool parties, in a dorm room or for any occasion (the results speak for themselves in the photo). Here’s the 1-2-3 on how to do it:

The goods: Buy at least three strands of the same kind of party lights; the same number of the tallest shepherd’s hooks (about $7 each, Home Depot); a can of spray paint to match the color of the party light cords (if the strings are black like the hooks, scratch paint off the list); dark green or brown extension cords so they’re camouflaged with the ground; one paper lantern per hook; and one set of 100 white lights per lantern.

The setup: Spray paint the shepherd’s hooks (if necessary) and let them dry. The idea is to match the color of the hooks to the light cords so the glow – not the electrical gear – steals the show.

Wrap one string of party lights tightly around each hook. Get out the white lights – there’s no need to unwind the twisty tie that binds them because they work best massed together in this scenario – and put one set inside each paper lantern. Hang a lantern from the end of the hook and connect the white lights to the party lights.

The illumination: Arrange the decked-out hooks to accent the patio or a spot of your choice. Connect the strings of lights to extension cords. Plug them into a main outlet to get the party started.