Christmas on the Grand Strand is a little different from Christmas anywhere else. Where else can you stroll the beach on a crisp December morning, wander the glowing paths of Brookgreen Gardens by candlelight, grab dinner along the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, and drive home past palmettos wrapped in twinkling lights, all in the same day?
From North Myrtle Beach to Surfside, Carolina Forest to Pawleys Island, our community celebrates the season with a laid-back coastal warmth. And whether your home is a year-round family base, a second home by the sea, or a beautiful property in one of the area’s golf communities, holiday lighting is how it joins the celebration.
At Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Myrtle Beach, we offer two effortless ways to light up the season: professionally installed seasonal holiday lighting and permanent roofline lighting you control from your phone. But the right choice really depends on how you live. So instead of a standard side-by-side, we have organized this guide around the different lifestyles we see along the Grand Strand. Find the one that sounds like you.
First, the Two Options in a Nutshell
Seasonal holiday lighting is our white glove, full-service holiday display. After a free on-site consultation, we design your display, show it to you at night before you commit, install it on your timeline, maintain it throughout the season, and then take it all down, labeling and boxing every piece, with storage support until next year.
Permanent roofline lighting is installed once and stays discreetly in place year-round. Using an app on your phone, you can choose holiday colors in December, a warm white glow for everyday elegance, and any palette you like for birthdays, game days, and celebrations in between.
Both are designed around your home. Both are installed by trained professionals using weather-resistant components built for our humidity and salt air. And both make the holidays dramatically easier.
If You Are a Year-Round Family Home
You are here for the school concerts, the church pageants, the neighborhood golf cart parade, and the late nights wrapping gifts after the kids are asleep. The last thing you need is a weekend lost to ladders and tangled lights.
What we often recommend: Many full-time families love the classic charm of holiday lighting that changes from year to year. Warm-white roofline lights, wreaths in the windows, garland on the porch rail, and palmettos wrapped trunk to crown create a display your kids will remember for years.
If your family celebrates everything, from the Fourth of July to Coastal Carolina game days, permanent roofline lighting may be the better fit. It turns your home into a canvas for every holiday and milestone without a single install appointment.
The best of both worlds: A permanent roofline for effortless color, layered with seasonal garland and wrapped palms for that cozy, handcrafted holiday feeling.
If You Own a Second Home or Vacation Rental
Many homeowners along the Grand Strand split their time between the coast and somewhere else, or share their beach house with guests through much of the year. Holiday lighting presents a unique challenge: how do you make your home festive when you are not there to decorate it?
What we often recommend: Permanent roofline lighting is a natural fit. Because it is app-controlled, you can schedule your display from anywhere. Turn on the holiday palette the week before you arrive for Christmas, give the home a welcoming lived-in glow while it sits empty, and set a warm white schedule that makes your property look beautiful for every guest who pulls into the driveway.
For rental properties, a well-lit exterior also adds real curb appeal in listing photos and creates a memorable first impression. It is the kind of detail guests notice.
Prefer a traditional seasonal display? We can coordinate everything while you are away, from design to installation and post-season takedown, so your home is glowing when you arrive and returned to normal after you leave.
If You Live in a Golf or HOA Community
They do not call Myrtle Beach a golf capital for nothing. Many of our clients live in beautifully planned golf and lifestyle communities where architecture is cohesive and HOA guidelines keep neighborhoods looking their best.
What we often recommend: Elegance and restraint go a long way here. A refined warm-white roofline, wreaths centered in each window, softly lit garland at the entry, and up-lit landscaping create a sophisticated display that feels festive without overwhelming the streetscape.
Our team is familiar with working within community guidelines. During your consultation, we will talk through any HOA requirements and design a display that complements your home and your neighbors. For year-round beauty, many homeowners pair their holiday lighting with permanent landscape lighting and pathway lighting that highlight their property every evening, especially lovely when the course views fade into twilight.
If You Own a Business on the Grand Strand
From restaurants along Ocean Boulevard to shops at The Market Common and offices along Highway 17, businesses here know that the holiday season brings visitors, locals, and opportunity.
What we often recommend: Our commercial holiday lighting services create eye-catching seasonal displays that draw customers in. For businesses that want to stand out all year, commercial permanent roofline lighting is a smart investment.
Take the commercial property pictured here in nearby Murrells Inlet. With the tap of a button, its permanent roofline system can switch from a clean, professional warm white to bold patriotic colors for summer holidays, or festive red and green for Christmas. One system, endless marketing moments, and no seasonal install bills.
If You Are New to the Coast
The Grand Strand welcomes new neighbors every year, from young families relocating for work to retirees finally trading snow shovels for sand dollars. If this is your first holiday season by the beach, you may be wondering how decorating here compares to what you are used to.
What we often recommend: Start simple and let us guide you. A professionally designed seasonal display is a wonderful way to experience your new home’s potential at night, without investing in lights, ladders, or storage bins you may not need. Our nighttime demonstration lets you see exactly how your home will look before you commit, which is especially helpful when you are still getting to know your property.
As you settle in, many new residents discover how much they love living outdoors year-round here, and choose to add permanent roofline or low-voltage landscape lighting so their porches, patios, and palms glow every evening, not just in December.
What Every Grand Strand Home Has in Common: Coastal Conditions
No matter which lifestyle sounds like yours, one thing is true for everyone here: our coastal climate is tough on outdoor lighting. Humidity, salt air, sudden storms, and gusty winds off the ocean can make quick work of big-box holiday lights.
That is why every display we install uses weather-resistant components and secure, professional mounting. During the season, our team handles bulb replacements and upkeep, so your home looks its best from the first night to the last. For permanent systems, our service and maintenance program and Shine365 limited lifetime warranty provide lasting peace of mind.
A Quick Note on Permits and Guidelines
Good news for homeowners: according to the City of Myrtle Beach zoning ordinance, temporary holiday lighting is generally exempt from permitting. That said, HOA guidelines, beachfront considerations, and commercial signage rules can still apply depending on where you live or do business. During your consultation, our team will help you think through any requirements so your display goes up smoothly and stress-free.
The Color Possibilities With Permanent Lighting
Once you have permanent lighting, holiday decorating becomes a creative playground. With smart outdoor lighting controls and color-changing lighting, here are just a few of the looks our clients love:
Christmas in classic red and green, or a candlelit warm white
Hanukkah in blue and white
New Year’s Eve in shimmering gold
Valentine’s Day in soft pink and red
St. Patrick’s Day in Irish green
Fourth of July in red, white, and blue
Game days in teal and bronze for the Chanticleers, or your favorite team’s colors
Everyday evenings in elegant warm white that elevates your curb appeal
Before You Call: A Quick Checklist
To make the most of your complimentary consultation, it helps to think through a few questions ahead of time:
Do you want a traditional seasonal look, year-round permanent lighting, or both?
Which features of your home do you love most: rooflines, columns, palms, the front porch?
Are there HOA guidelines you need to follow?
Will you be in town during installation, or should we coordinate while you are away?
Would you like to extend the glow to your backyard with festive string lighting or deck and patio lighting?
Don’t have all the answers? That is perfectly fine. Our designers will walk you through every option.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I schedule my holiday lighting?
As early as possible. Fall is the perfect time to book your consultation, and reserving early gives you the widest choice of installation dates so your home can be glowing in time for Thanksgiving weekend.
What if a storm knocks something loose?
We have you covered. Our team handles in-season maintenance and bulb replacements, so a gusty night on the coast will not leave your display looking tired.
What happens to my lights after the holidays?
Our crew returns to take everything down, carefully labeling and boxing your lights, wreaths, and garland, with storage support until next season.
Is permanent lighting visible during the day?
Permanent roofline systems are designed to sit discreetly along your roofline, so your home’s daytime appearance stays clean and polished. The magic happens after sunset, whenever you choose.
Why the Grand Strand Chooses Outdoor Lighting Perspectives
Tailored lighting for any property, designed to showcase your home’s best features
White glove service with prompt, personalized attention
A nighttime demonstration so you can see your design before you commit
Weather-resistant components built for coastal Carolina conditions
Takedown, labeling, and storage support for seasonal displays
Shine365 maintenance and warranty coverage
Flexible financing, so you can illuminate now and pay later
Want to see our work first? Browse our photo gallery, read our customer reviews, download our free design guide, or check out our pricing guide.
Book Early and Enjoy the Whole Season
Holiday installation dates along the Grand Strand fill quickly, especially in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. The earlier you plan, the more time you will have to enjoy your display, and the more flexibility you will have to make it exactly what you envision.
Call Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Myrtle Beach at (843) 428-8318 or request your complimentary design consultation.
This year, trade the ladder for a beach chair. We will take care of the glow.