If you’re planning to channel your inner Clark Griswold this holiday season, remember that more lights don’t always mean more merry. Sometimes, it just means more trips to the breaker box.

Before you climb the ladder with 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights, keep these tips in mind:

• Check those cords, Sparky.  If your light strands look like they’ve been through a squirrel attack (or actually were through a squirrel attack), toss them.
• Don’t overload your outlets. Clark may have needed “a little help from cousin Eddie” to get his lights working, but you can skip the fire hazard by using power strips with surge protectors.
• Outdoor lights belong outdoors. Unless you want your decorations to go up in a puff of smoke faster than cousin Eddie’s RV, make sure your strands are rated for outdoor use.