Did you guys see our Guest Post on The Letter 4 over the weekend? If not, here it is! Lisa showed how to make this easy and fun lighted candy garland.
Lisa here! I remember my Mom coming home about 15 years ago so excited with this idea. We spent hours listening to Christmas music and putting together enough candy garland to border their whole yard! It’s such a fun memory and I wanted to create one for our big Christmas party this weekend. All you need is cellophane, a white strand of Christmas lights, ribbon, and square plastic clam shell containers.
Make sure the wires are coming out of the middle of both sides.
Keep stuffing until all of the lights are inside.
Next you need to cut your cellophane. For a 6 inch clam shell I cut them 18 inches by 16 inches. At first I was cutting the cellophane with scissors and it wasn’t very neat. It was then I noticed the perfect straight edges in my table from our leaf and it hit me to use that as a way to cut my cellophane with a razor blade!
It worked SO great! I was wanting to do a white and red garland, so I used white tissue paper under the clear cellophane. I cut it the same way and again I got perfect straight cute.
Now it’s time to assemble! Place your garland on the ground in a line. Start by taking your first color and placing it under the clam shell with the clam shell in the middle.
I wanted my red to be really vibrant so I doubled the red up. Take one side and fold it over and tape it to the plastic.
It’s important to do this, so when you are tying the ends, the clamshell won’t move. Then, fold the other side over, pull it tight, and tape into place.
I thought it might be easier to wire the ends before I tied it with ribbon, but the ribbon was much more effective. Cut the ribbon pieces about 7 inches long. Slide the ribbon under the cellophane and then carefully tie it loose, to make sure you have it right in the middle. When you are sure it is in the right spot, then finish it by tying a knot really tight and double knot.
Do this to both sides and you have yourself a candy!! Go down the full length of the garland until all of the clam shells are covered. I trimmed my ribbons down and then fluffed the ends of the candies up.
Then its time to hang it up and add a few bows!
I used mine inside, but my parents hang theirs outside in their yard held up by Candy canes!
Diane R
So beautiful! The idea of using icicle lights is genius. I’m fortunate to have a stationery store nearby that carries different shapes and sizes of containers that can be purchased individually. If anyone has a GFS or restaurant supply store open to the public, they will have them.
It’s a bit fiddly but since mine are going outside and we’ll likely have rain and snow I was going to use the double sided tape that comes with the window insulator kits. I’ll tape the cellophane along the length so it’s harder for the water to get in.
Lastly, I saw another version that had crumpled cello inside to give a crackly look.
Thank you so much for sharing-great post with lots of useful tips.
Peggy
We started doing this in our yard after seeing it done at Disneyland. We use wire (zip) ties on the ends, and only have about 4 lights per box, but we’ve also been able to get a lot of different shapes of boxes at a restaurant supply places and online. It’s a really beautiful effect, and for as many years as we’ve done it it’s still one of my favorite decorations. The downside is that when bulbs burn out the candy has to be rebuilt, and the cellophane fades in a couple of seasons. We’re upgrading to LED strings next year, so that should help with the bulbs burning out.
Peggy
We started doing this in our yard after seeing it done at Disneyland. We use wire (zip) ties on the ends, and only have about 4 lights per box, but we’ve also been able to get a lot of different shapes of boxes at a restaurant supply places and online. It’s a really beautiful effect, and for as many years as we’ve done it it’s still one of my favorite destinations. The downside is that when bulbs burn out the candy has to be rebuilt, and the cellophane fades in a couple of seasons. We’re upgrading to LED strings next year, so that should help with the bulbs burning out.
Clare Kelaher
Just wondering do the lights get too hot in the plastic containers? Is there any chance of the plastic melting?
johnlisa02
My parents have had theirs for 20+ years and never had anything happen. I have had mine for 3 years and no problems.I think as long as you are using the little Christmas lights and not big old ones you should be fine.
Clare Kelaher
Thanks!!!!! I thought as much 🙂 I can’t wait to make mine for this christmas! Your candy light invention will be shining down under 🙂 Thanks for the fantastical tutorial!
Linda @ It All Started with Paint
>So clever! Just love your homes …
Courtney ~ French Country Cottage
>What a creative idea!! Would love for you to come share at FNF at my blog- going on all weekend! 🙂
Comeca Jones
>PRETTY
Kim K.
>Simply brilliant!! I'm totally smitten with this idea. Thanks for sharing your tutorial.
Michele
Love this idea !! Where do you get the containers if not collecting from a restaurant? Can you buy them in the store?
Ron Barnum
Look on Amazon
Joanna
Love the idea! What are your parents’ candy canes made out of that are holding up the candy lights?
Pam Dana
They are plastic! I have no idea where she got them. They faded over the years but did great holding up the lights.
Pam Dana
I’ve gotten them off Amazon and also from a local gas station one year!!