Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: we install holiday lighting. TLC Incorporated is on this list, and we’re not going to pretend otherwise.
But we also know how this search goes. You type “Christmas light installation near me,” get a page of companies you’ve never heard of, and have no way to tell which ones will still be answering the phone in January when the lights need to come down. So here’s an honest look at who works in Anne Arundel County, what each one appears to specialize in, and how to tell them apart.
Everything below about other companies comes from what they publish publicly. Be sure to verify it yourself before you hire anyone.
What Actually Separates a Good Holiday Lighting Installer From a Bad One
Price gets all the attention. These five things matter more.
Who provides the lights. Companies that supply commercial-grade lights are making a different promise than ones that hang whatever you bought at a big-box store. Store-bought strands rarely survive a second season outdoors.
Whether takedown is included. This is where cheap quotes hide money. A display that goes up in November has to come down in January, and if that’s billed separately, your real cost is higher than the number you were quoted.
Whether they store your lights. Storage means no bins in your garage and no untangling next November. It also means the company has your measurements on file, so future seasons get faster.
Licensed and insured, with trained crews. People are working on your roof in cold weather. This isn’t optional.
Whether they’ll be here next year. Holiday lighting attracts seasonal operators. The worst outcome isn’t a bad install; it’s a display on your roof in February and a disconnected phone number.
Holiday Lighting Installers Serving Anne Arundel County
TLC Incorporated, Gambrills
We’ve been in business 42 years, and we install holiday lighting alongside sprinklers, outdoor lighting, drainage, and gutters. Our holiday program is all-inclusive: design, commercial-grade LED lights, installation, in-season service, takedown, and storage in one seasonal price, typically $1,800 to $10,000 or more depending on the property.
The case for hiring us is that we’re not a seasonal business — we’re here in March if something goes wrong.
Bayside Christmas Lights, Pasadena
A locally owned company based on Mountain Road in Pasadena, with an Annapolis presence on Ritchie Highway. They describe themselves as a fully licensed and insured team handling start-to-finish installation, from roofline lighting to tree wraps, and they also offer permanent LED lighting installed year-round. If you’re weighing seasonal versus permanent trim lighting, they’re worth a call.
Christmas Decor by Stewart Lawn & Landscape, Annapolis
A local landscaping company operating as a Christmas Decor franchise, serving residential and commercial clients including stores, restaurants, offices, and event venues. The franchise model means standardized materials and process backed by a national brand, with local crews.
Christmas Decor by Watermark
Another Christmas Decor franchise, serving Anne Arundel County along with Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George’s counties and DC. They say they’ve been decorating in the region for over 35 years, and their service covers design, installation, proactive maintenance, takedown, and yearly storage, with attention to not damaging roofing, molding, or architectural details.
Black Diamond Holiday Lighting
Serves Anne Arundel along with Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. They offer all-inclusive packages covering custom design, LED installation, timers and extension cords, and professional removal, with certified, insured crews.
Enchanted Holiday Lightscapes
Based in Bel Air, serving Annapolis and Anne Arundel County among several Maryland counties. Their marketing leans heavily into waterfront and historic properties, specifically naming Severn River, Bay Ridge, and Wardour, plus marinas, storefronts, and HOAs. If you own a waterfront or historic home, that focus is worth asking about.
Deshaies Electrical Services, Crofton
An electrical contractor based in Crofton that’s been serving Anne Arundel County since 2011 and offers Christmas light installation. The electrician angle is a genuine differentiator if your display is large, your outdoor circuits are older, or you’re worried about load.
JZ Power Washing
A power washing company offering holiday light installation across Anne Arundel County, including Annapolis, Severna Park, Pasadena, and Arnold. They note that payment can be split between installation and removal, which helps if you’d rather spread the cost.
Happy House Christmas Light Installation
A smaller operation serving the Glen Burnie area, listed on Yelp with a 4.7 rating from a small number of reviews. Worth a look if you want a local, smaller-scale installer, with the usual caveat that a handful of reviews isn’t much to judge from.
How to Compare the Quotes You Get
Ask every company the same five questions, and the differences will sort themselves out:
- Do you provide the lights, or do I? If you provide them, are they commercial grade?
- Is takedown included in this price? What about storage?
- How do the lights attach to my roof — clips, or staples and nails?
- If a section fails in December, who fixes it and what does that cost?
- Are you licensed and insured, and can I see proof?
That last one matters more than people realize. Anyone can buy a ladder.
When TLC is Not the Right Choice
A few honest cases where you should call someone else.
If you want permanent trim lighting, the kind that stays up year-round and changes color by app, Bayside offers it, and we currently don’t.
If you want the lowest possible price, you’ll find it elsewhere. We’re not the low bid, and we don’t try to be. Our price includes storage, in-season service, and commercial-grade lights, and if those don’t matter to you, a cheaper installer may genuinely serve you better.
If you only need a single strand along a short roofline, a small local operator will likely do it for less than we will.
The One Thing We’d Tell Anyone
Book earlier than feels necessary. Nearly every customer in Anne Arundel County wants their lights up in the same three weeks, and installation calendars fill for dates before the first week of December. By the time it feels urgent, the good slots are gone, and late-season work often costs more.
Whoever you choose, get it on a calendar now.
FAQs
How do I know if a holiday lighting company is reputable?
Ask for proof of license and insurance, and don’t accept a verbal yes — people will be on your roof in cold weather. Then check how long they’ve been in business, whether they have a physical address in the area, and what happens in January if you can’t reach them. Seasonal operators are common in this industry, and the real risk isn’t a bad install; it’s a display still on your roof in February with nobody answering the phone.
Should I hire a local company or a national franchise?
Both work, and the trade-off is predictable. Franchises like the Christmas Decor operations bring standardized materials, process, and brand accountability, with local crews doing the work. Smaller local companies often give you more design flexibility and direct access to the owner. What matters more than either is whether lights, takedown and storage are included.
Why do quotes for the same house vary so much?
Usually because they’re not quoting the same thing. One price may cover design, commercial-grade lights, installation, in-season service, takedown and storage, while another covers hanging lights you supply and nothing else. Height and roof complexity also drive real differences: a three-story home with steep pitches needs lifts and equipment that a one-story ranch doesn’t. Ask each company what’s included before comparing numbers.
When should I book holiday lighting in Anne Arundel County?
By early to mid-October if you can. Nearly every customer wants lights up in the same three-week window, and calendars fill for installations before the first week of December. Booking late often means a worse date and a higher price, since late-season work can require premium labor.
Can I use my own lights?
Some companies will hang them, and many won’t. The reason is warranty: a company that guarantees its work can’t stand behind a three-year-old strand from a big-box store. There’s also a practical issue: store-bought strands come in fixed lengths, so you end up with excess wire bunched at corners instead of a run cut to fit your roofline. If using your own lights matters to you, ask up front, because it will narrow your options.
