…or finding better words, these ideas never lasted long…

Household Hints 37
Fairy light maintenance

A standard set of 12 multicoloured Pifco lights will last a lifetime with the proper care, so avoid fairy light misery by following these handy but rigid rules.
1. After Christmas each year take down your lights gracefully from the tree with joy in your heart.
2. Remove each bulb with a smile and set aside in their coloured order. A strip of duct tape or other proprietary adhesive ribbon will assist. Keep a couple of festive mince pies back for this little task!
3. Using a number 4 camel hair brush, lightly grease each socket with a household dilution of three parts virgin olive oil to one part WD40
4. Gently wrap the cord around a soft wood former. Your handyman will be happy to make this for you. Be sure to specify white pine from a sustainable forest. A Christmas carol makes short work of this winding chore
5. Place the wrapped cord in an EMPTY biscuit tin, Rover Family Assortment or my personal favourite, Walkers Luxury Shortbread Compendium are best.
6. Test each bulb individually with a Megger and continuity tester PRIOR to placing adjacent to the neat coil of bulb holders in the biscuit tin.
7. Finally, pack the airspace with silica gel or other desiccant and tape up the tin with more duct tape. I like to decorate mine with snowflake patterns cut out of paper doilies and old Christmas cards.
8. Place the tin in the warmest part of the airing cupboard. Your housekeeper will show you where the airing cupboard is and which is the warmest part.
9. Test your lights every six weeks throughout the year.
10. Have a happy Christmas, but remember, fairy lights are a silent killer.