Chicago, IL, Aug. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Light Up Your Holidays, a woman-owned holiday and architectural lighting design company serving Chicago and the North Shore since 2001, has published a nine-point standard outlining what every homeowner should expect when hiring a company for Christmas light installation.
Woman-owned Chicago company publishes the standards it holds every project to, after 25 years in the holiday and architectural lighting industry
The guide comes as more homeowners search for "Christmas light installation" companies ahead of the season, often without a clear way to compare one company to the next. Light Up Your Holidays founder Kelly Fitzsimmons says the industry needs a public standard and her company is setting it.
"We believe this should be the gold standard for every experience," Fitzsimmons said. "Your outdoor holiday lighting experience should be beautiful, fun, and memorable for your kids, for your family, and for your whole block."
The Light Up Your Holidays Standard: What Homeowners Should Expect
1. A design relationship, not a sales call. Light Up Your Holidays designers begin every project with a conversation to understand a homeowner's vision, then take it further than most homeowners expect.
A request for "wreaths and garlands" might become a full candyland theme in red and white, once a homeowner sees what's possible. "A lot of competitors are contractors who clean gutters in the off-season," Fitzsimmons said. "They have no design concept. Our clients are spending thousands of dollars on their home. It has to look good, and it has to be designed."
2. Two to three design concepts, built around your home. Every project includes multiple concepts built around the architecture of the home and the vision shared in that first conversation, not a one-size-fits-all package.
3. Balance and restraint, not just volume. Company designers are trained to highlight a home's architectural features while staying sensitive to its materials, knowing when less is more and knowing where not to install.
4. A three-point installation protocol. Every install follows a structured safety process, with careful attention to landscaping, rooflines, gutters, and windows. Homeowners deserve to know who is actually on the ladder at their home: someone experienced enough to know where to secure equipment, how to move around landscaping without damage, and how to protect gutters and windows in the process. That level of care comes from experience, not from whoever happens to be available that week.
5. High-end, life-like decor. Light Up Your Holidays sources decor built to look elegant and full, day or night, so homeowners are proud to show it off, not just relieved it's up.
6. A 24 to 48 hour service response. Chicago weather and wildlife make service calls inevitable during the season. Light Up Your Holidays commits to responding within 24 to 48 hours, with clients kept informed the entire time.
7. Timely removal, no exceptions. The company's decor is rented, not sold, meaning installation and removal are both part of the service. A dedicated removal team ensures homes aren't left with unsightly decor into February or beyond, a common complaint homeowners have with other companies.
8. A logistics team behind every promise. From scheduling to removal dates, Light Up Your Holidays backs its installation work with a dedicated logistics team. That reliability is something most homeowners discover is missing only after they have already signed with someone else.
9. A relationship you actually enjoy. "This is a design relationship," Fitzsimmons said. "We listen to your vision, and then we take it further, sometimes showing homeowners options they never would have considered on their own."
Starting Pricing
Light Up Your Holidays projects start at $2,800, a number Fitzsimmons says reflects the level of design, product, and service included. "We want people to know what to expect," she said.
About Light Up Your Holidays
Founded in 2001, Light Up Your Holidays is a woman-owned holiday and architectural lighting design company based in Chicago, serving residential and commercial clients across the city and the North Shore for 25 years. With nearly 400 customer reviews across multiple platforms, the company has built a reputation Chicago homeowners trust season after season, a track record earned over two decades in business. Learn more at lightupyourholidays.com.
For over 25 years , we’ve been designing and installing Christmas and holiday lighting for Chicago-area families and businesses.
Press Inquiries
Kelly Fitzsimmons - Owner, Light Up Your Holidays
design@lightupyourholidays.com
312-728-8499
http://lightupyourholidays.com
Chicago, Illinois
