VANCOUVER -- It's going to be a tough holiday for many with all the pandemic restrictions in place. But there is one way to brighten the mood, and holiday light installation companies are seeing a big boom in business because of it. 

Events like the Stanley Park Christmas train aren't going ahead - and that's led some locals to take matters into their own hands. Richmond-based FestiLight has been hiring extra staff to keep up with all their bookings. And Shack Shine, which also installs lights, has seen a huge spike in business. 

"Everyone's sticking at home and because it's such a dark year, putting lights on your home really brightens up your house, the neighbourhood and the community," says Ciaran Olsen, a Shack Shine francise owner. 

Neighbourhoods like Dunbar, Kitsilano and the Granville and 41st area have even more lights than usual.

A recent survey from BC Hydro found 60 per cent of British Columbians plan to put up outdoor lights this year. 

And it's not too late to put up your own and get creative. 

Consumer Reports’ Dan Wroclawski says even if you don’t have the tech skills, there are products on the market to help manage your lights, and kits that can offer up some extra fun this season.

“The simplest way to control your holiday lights is honestly with a smart plug,” he says. “They’re really affordable. You can set them to turn on and off with your local sunset and sunrise times.” 

Smart plugs can cost from $15 up to $65 or more. You’ll want one that’s both Wi-Fi capable and suitable for outdoor use. To set the smart plug up, just plug it into an outlet, plug your lights into the device and then you can control it all from your smartphone.

If you want to take it a step further, there are also smart light kits that can change colours, create patterns, and enable you to set your lights to music. They do require some tech skill, however, and can cost anywhere from $60 to upwards of $200. 

“They’re a lot of fun,” Wroclawski says. “ They definitely provide that whimsy that I think a lot of people could use right now.” 

Or leave it to the pros, like Shack Shine, who are flooding neighbourhoods with holiday cheer. 

But how long should you leave them up for? 

"This year, I'd say at least until February when we start getting some sunshine back and things hopefully start getting back to normal," Olsen suggests. "Just to have that extra bit of light this winter to help us all get through it together." 

With files from Consumer Reports