How to Fix Christmas Lights Without a Tester
This is not food related, but I feel like MacGuyver, so I had to share my little tip on how to repair your Christmas lights for free. We finally got our tree put up, and were dismayed to discover that several sections of lights weren't working. This is the fourth year in a row that we said, "we should really buy a Christmas light bulb tester (LINK)", and yet we still don't own one.
Since we literally had just a few dollars in our bank account to last us to the next pay day (I'm sure you all know how unexpected emergency expenses take their toll), there was no way we were going to be buying one this year either. That's when I was inspired by the Christmas spirit of genius, and busted out the tin foil.
I suspected that a piece of foil shoved in the socket in place of the bulb would complete the circuit and allow the entire section of lights to work, and it turns out I was right!
SO, if you're trying to fix you Christmas lights for free at the last minute, and don't have a bulb tester, you too can use this little trick.
Try running your hands along the lights, and if they flicker on or off at one point, start testing the bulbs in the area you were just touching. If they don't, you'll just have to start at one end and work your way down.
Pull out one bulb at a time, and stick a piece of folded up foil into the bulb socket. If the lights come on, you know that's the bad bulb. If they don't, put the bulb back in and move on to the next one. If you don't have any replacement bulbs, you can leave the foil in until you do. Just make sure that you leave a big enough piece poking out to easily remove it in the future!
Okay, I know it's a little silly, but when you've spent several days cooped up in the house with a sick baby (first ear infection) and feel like you're going crazy, you have to celebrate the little victories!
On that note, sorry I've been quiet the past week. We are okay, but Corban has just been having a rough time with this ear infection, and I have been getting 2-4 hours of sleep a night because of it. I'm sure you can understand my lack of energy and enthusiasm. Thankfully, I feel a new wind coming on. Or maybe it's just a fresh wave of insanity. Either way, I've had fun working on some Christmas recipes over the weekend, and am excited to share them with you this week.
Hope your Christmas season is going well and everyone is staying healthy!
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How to Fix Christmas Lights Without a Tester
Source: https://eatingrichly.com/free-diy-christmas-light-bulb-tester/#:~:text=Pull%20out%20one%20bulb%20at,on%20to%20the%20next%20one.