The cost to hire a Christmas decorating service is $1,500 on average, but it can cost between $300 and $2,500 or more depending on the size and details of the project.
It's one thing to daydream about a Christmas-movie-worthy home, and another to pull it off. You can expect to pay $300 to over $2,500 to hire a holiday decorating service, depending on if you need your tree trimmed, your lights hung, or the whole house decked out from top to bottom.
Some professional decorators charge a flat fee for smaller, less extensive holiday set-ups, while others charge an hourly or per square foot rate for larger homes with elaborate decor designs. Learn how much Christmas decorating services cost no matter how festive and elaborate your holiday home vision.
There are many types of contractors who offer Christmas decorating services—from local landscapers and interior designers to pros that specialize solely in holiday decorating.
Let's look at each cost factor for professional Christmas decorating costs, taking different professionals and skills into account.
Christmas light installation costs may make up the majority—if not all—of the cost of hiring a Christmas decorating service. Costs vary so widely that it's worth breaking down the price factors even further.
A small, 1,000-square-foot, one-story home will cost between $200 and $500 to decorate with holiday lights. On the other side, three-story homes that range over 4,000 square feet can cost up to $1,100 to light.
From the front yard pines to the top of the roof, where you place the lights will also affect the cost of installation. If you decide to hire a holiday decorating pro, they’ll be able to help you choose the best Christmas lights outdoors and indoors.
High roofs: $3.50–$6 per linear foot
Balcony: $50–$75 total
Outdoor tree: $75–$1,500
Strands of Christmas lights each have their own benefits that include energy efficiency, size of the bulb, or color of the light. Lights marked with C3 through C9 indicate the size of the cone of the light, and each comes with its own price tag.
Your light installation price may vary both because of the cost of materials and because of the complexity of installation.
| Bulb Type | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Incandescent | $4–$10 per strand |
| Dome | $5–$15 per strand |
| LED | $6–$25 per strand |
| C3 | $7–$30 per strand |
| C4 | $7–$40 per strand |
| C5 | $7–$40 per strand |
| C6 | $7–$40 per strand |
| C7 | $7–$50 per strand |
| C9 | $7–$60 per strand |
| Color-changing | $18–$60 per strand |
| Smart lights | $20–$200 per strand |
Landscaping teams in your areas, especially those who offer year-round and seasonal deals, often provide Christmas decoration packages as well. They may provide fresh holiday foliage for your door, front porch, walkway, or garden. They may even offer light-hanging services.
While holiday packages will widely vary, on average, the cost of a landscaper is $50 to $100 per hour, not including materials. A landscaper designer can charge up to an average of $150 an hour.
Call in professional artists to make your Christmas tree the envy of social media. Christmas tree decorating services will range from $200 to $600 on average for both labor and materials, but the sky's the limit if you want high-end decor or choose a tall tree.
Note that the cost will likely not include the cost of the tree itself, which ranges anywhere from $40 to $250, depending on whether the tree is real or fake and on local prices.
You may also find simple handyperson services for as low as $60 per hour, particularly for help with bringing the tree inside, leveling the trunk, and placing it in the stand.
The cost of professional interior designers who offer holiday services will be between $50 and $200 per hour or they may offer per-project rates at an average of $1,500. The price includes a design for your unique home as well as the labor to purchase and arrange wreaths, garlands, candles, and Christmas villages.
A local interior designer will charge for the whole house, room by room, or for specific areas such as:
Mantelpieces
Bookshelves
Entryways
Chandeliers
Porches
Banisters
Kitchens
Bedroom and living room
Dining rooms
Even if you hang onto the Christmas spirit until the end of January, there will come a time to take down the tree, lights, and mini train set. Professional decorators will charge between $100 and $200 to take down lights and decor, though this may come built-in with the flat fee for the service.
Assume that the cost of materials will make up 65% of the total cost of Christmas decorating services, with the other 35% going to labor. Thankfully, this also means that the first year you hire a professional holiday decorator in your area will be more expensive than all subsequent years—unless, of course, you change your whole aesthetic every year.
As we've touched on above, decorators and landscapers will charge between $50 to $100 per hour on average. Expert-level Christmas decorators, particularly those who solely specialize in these services, will change closer to $200 per hour for their work and design.
Once you have your home fit for the holiday party of the decade, what other costs can sneak into your decorating service price?
Your electric bill may increase when running holiday lights, but it depends on bulb type, how long they’re on, and the size of your display. You will spend significantly less on energy for LED bulbs or lights set on a timer.
Tipping contractors is not always necessary, especially if a contractor runs their own business, but it is always a kind gesture to offer. A $20 to $50 tip is best for one-time jobs like Christmas decorating teams, but you may consider higher amounts—such as 15 to 20% of the total—if they came out for regular visits to spruce up the decor.
If you're attempting to rival the Griswolds this year, you can also opt for some holiday add-ons, both when decorating and coordinating logistics.
Do you have too many lights for your home's electrical capacity? It will cost an electrician about $200 to install a new outlet and $50 to $100 an hour for ad hoc work.
Of all the do's and don't of holiday light installation, electrical safety makes the top of the list. A professional decorator and an electrician can ensure your home is equipped to handle extra lights.
Decorating your home is one thing, but what about dusting and organizing it all before and after a big holiday party? One-time home cleaning services for about three hours cost an average of $170, though you could pay up to $235 for more extensive cleaning after the gathering.
Hoping to skip the climb to the roof each year? Year-round lights that can handle all four seasons of weather will cost between $3,000 and $3,500 to install. The upside is that you will only need to pay for small repairs and additional holiday decor in the future.
There's no question that decorating your home yourself for the holidays will save you some solid cash—up to 35% of the total cost. However, you'll save even more if you don't need to buy new supplies.
On the other hand, there are a lot of perks to hiring a Christmas decorating service. For example, decorators can help you:
Create a clean and balanced design
Set up for a large holiday party
Stage your home around the holidays for potential buyers
Avoid climbing on tall ladders
Choose the most cost-effective lights and decor for long-time use
If you've already decided that this is the year you're calling in the experts, there are some ways to trim the final bill.
Request quotes from at least three decorators to compare offers.
Offer to supply lights and decor from your own collection.
Book your decorator months before the season for early-bird deals.
Decorate early to avoid the high-season rush.
Opt for LED lights for long-term savings.
Start with a la carte decorating services like tree decorating.
Manage decor takedown on your own if possible.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Professional Christmas decorators offer everything from hanging lights in and outside your home to decorating the tree and adding decor around the house. Decorators may focus on porches, foyers, staircases, mantelpieces, and other similar focal areas.
Decorating your home and landscape for the holidays is a great time to catch up on basic seasonal tasks like winterizing your lawn, deep cleaning your home, or calling a local electrician for an annual inspection.
Hiring a professional decorator for the holidays—especially when hanging your holiday lights—has countless benefits. Professionals know how to safely secure lights, can save you money on decor, and above all, make your home look stylish and chic.
