Geek is chic.
It's tough to distinguish different types of "white" light, especially when experiencing a sensory overload at holiday-decorated stores. Here's a quick debriefing of cool white, warm white, and champagne white, so you can get busy decorating your house the way you imagine. From left to right: Commercial Cool Clear LED Wide Angle Christmas Lights ($19/50 LEDs) – Cool white lights on a white Read more
There's no better way to get into the holiday spirit than heading out to find all the light-decorated houses. I know people go crazy for Christmas lights in my old neighborhood back home, with even an entire block of houses vowing to decorate with lights and props every year. It's kind of like a team sport where I'm from, and they take it very seriously. Like, Superbowl serious. So if you need Read more
If you want to pimp the outside of your house with a ton of Christmas lights but don't want to spend a small fortune on the electricity bill, consider Solar-Powered Lights. When Popgadget compiled their Christmas gift guide, she added these versatile lights to the list. With 102 bright LED bulbs on each string, these solar-powered lights can be used on trees or on your front porch. You don't Read more
You'd think that smoking Christmas lights would be something only Clark Griswold would have to deal with in Christmas Vacation. Guess again! I was totally shocked when TeamSugar told me that her new Micro Lights short-circuited and melted the outlet plug. Yikes! TeamSugar noticed that the lights went out around 5pm, and she could smell melting plastic. When she came back at 11pm, the entire plug Read more
The Christmas tree may be an international icon, but you'd be surprised by how many people don't know how to hang lights on one. Beginning tonight at 7 p.m. EST, the folks in Rockefeller Center will kick off their annual tree lighting celebration, so I thought I'd let you in on a few tips so you can join in on the fun and light yours too! Begin with a bare, undecorated Christmas tree that is Read more
Photo: Sara Yoo Late-night infomercials seem to have the solution to every kitchen conundrum, but I learned quickly that buying into every zealous sales pitch meant cabinets full of single-use gadgets that receive only occasional use. So when I dove into my shelves of dusty equipment for a Spring clean-out, I found that several could go in the donation bin thanks to one multitasking pot: my Read more
This week, I'm inspired by outdoor spaces that celebrate Winter lights. Whether it's the festive glow of Christmas lights or the magnificent twinkling of natural starlight, there's something awe-inspiring about the lights that surround us this time of year. Hopefully, this gallery will spark some ideas for new ways to decorate with lights or will inspire a trip up North. Happy holidays! Read more
Love may be a universal language, but we're not sure that phrase includes the sci-fi alien races and fantastical creatures that rule the far depths of the galaxy, who express love in words beyond our human comprehension. When you're thinking of a unique way to woo your valentine this year, plan a tutorial to learn together one of these 14 geeky languages. While several of these Trekkie, Tolkien, Read more
Getting your pad decked out for the holidays? Might I suggest a festive Star Wars theme this year with the help of a R2-D2 light set ($24). Coming with 10 indoor/outdoor lights, this string would be the perfect addition to an intergalactic tree, a decorated mantel, or window display. Tis the season to be jolly, and show off your geeky style too. Read more
In the spoofy song, "The 12 Pains of Christmas," the singer explores all sorts of holiday-related issues: hangovers (which we have you covered on), rigging up the lights, and batteries-not-included — just to name a few. But one thing he doesn't mention is the puffy, tired-looking eyes that often come from not just overdoing it with rich foods and a packed schedule, but flying, as well. While Read more
