If one of your jobs as a child was to follow your mother through the backyard, slowly unfurling garlands of glowing bulbs for her to wrap around the trunk of the crabapple tree and drape across the yews, you have most likely inherited a tendency toward twinkly, golden light. I speak from experience. We are now solidly immersed in the festive months, fellow outdoor-string-light addicts. This is our season. If you haven’t gotten to it already, let’s commence now with the draping and festooning, so we can move on to the important things: warm evenings, clinking wineglasses, and fireflies at dusk. Here are 10 garlands of outdoor string lights at a variety of prices that can give those fireflies competition: Above: Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. The Table in a Bag Outdoor Commercial 15-Light String Light Set Up is $47.09 for the 48-foot-long strand from Amazon. Above:An 11-foot-long cord of 10 Industrial String Lights is available in three colors including red for $49 from West Elm.

Above: A perennial favorite, an 11-foot-long strand holds 10 lights with unglazed, ultra-thin ceramic shades that give off a translucent glow. Pleated String Lights are suitable for outdoor or indoor use; Dell Laptop Screen Brightness Windows 7$224 from Pigeon Toe.Cocktail Party Furniture Hire Gold Coast Above: A 20-light Hanging String of Light Balls is made of rattan wrapped with cotton. Bombshell T Shirts KingstonSuitable for both outdoor and indoor use, it’s $12 from Cottonlight via Etsy. Above: This garland of 20 White Festoon Lights uses low-energy-consuming LED bulbs and is suitable for indoor or outdoor use. The starter kit is £45 from Cox & Cox; extension sets also available. Above: A 54-foot-long string of Terrazzo Outdoor Lights holds 24 bulbs.

It is $199 from NapaStyle. Above: A Party Globe Light String, with choice of two sizes of bulb, is currently on sale for $38 (marked down from $45) at Restoration Hardware. The string comes with either 10 large globes or 20 small. Above: A Sardal LED Lighting Chain with 24 lights is $7.99 from Ikea. A pack of 12 white Solvinden Light Covers is $5. Above: A strand of Mercury Glass Globe String Lights comes in two lengths, with either 10 or 20 lights; the price is $29.99 or $59.99 at Pottery Barn. Above: With 10 filament bulbs per strand, a 10-foot length of Smith & Hawken String Lights is $18.74 from Target. Above: A 50-foot-long Vintage Light String with 24 bulbs and all-weather wiring is $146 at Restoration Hardware. For more of our favorite ways to dress up a deck or patio, see:Super stylist (and Target decor and entertaining guru) Emily Henderson definitely knows her way around a backyard party. After we saw the fête she put together to show off Target's spring entertaining collection, we instantly started angling for an invite to her next get-together.

But luckily (since we likely won't earn BFF status just yet) we got Henderson to share her tips for reimagining her ideas in your own yard.1. Add polish to make-ahead bites."I'm not much of a cook, but I always try to offer some heartier options so no one leaves hungry," says Henderson. "My go-to is a ham, provolone, salted butter, and baguette sandwich. I cut them in half, wrap in wax paper, and secure them with a bit of twine."2. Offer a drink table, away from the food, as a second place for guests to gather."My beverage station is always a hit," says Henderson. "Instead of serving cocktails, I situate a crowd-pleasing punch in a convenient location." These drink dispensers look like glass, but are actually plastic, for easy set-up and cleaning.3. There's a clever way to hang string lights wherever you want.You don't need a covered patio to create some ambience. Henderson fills buckets with stones, surrounding a bamboo pole to create an anchor for hanging globe lights around the yard.4.

Plan a picnic vibe if you fear a lack of seating.Rugs, pillows, and poufs (and, of course, picnic blankets) can create a casual conversation spot that plays into a party's laid-back vibe.5. Make friends with melamine plates and platters for a kid-friendly affair."They're classier than paper products, but don't come with the added stress of being breakable," says Henderson. "They're reusable, and their fun colors automatically appeal to kids." Bonus: Bright plates look super summery next to Target's new fish-themed serveware collection.6. Plan the party that you want to attend."Picture yourself as a party-goer," says Henderson (seen here having a blast with pal Joy Cho). "What would you want? Comfy seating, good music, nice lighting, festive décor — and remember you set the tone for everyone. The more fun you have, the more fun everyone will have."Are you not as smitten with her as we are? Watch this video for even more ideas:TELL US: How do you make backyard entertaining easier? • 5 Party-Ready Napkin Folding Ideas

• 8 Secrets Every Outdoor Party Host Should Know • 5 Homemade Ways to Kick Bugs Out of Your PartyYesterday, the 19th day of April in the year of our Lord 2015, the clouds parted, angels sang, and the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection launched in stores and online. If you slept through the early-morning chaos, here’s a short timeline of what went down: I don’t wear Lilly Pulitzer and I slept soundly through the shopping furor, but even I got angry at pictures of women pushing carts overflowing with merchandise, most of which is clearly destined for resale sites (see: this). Already, there are over 28,000 results for Lilly Pulitzer for Target on Ebay. Let’s see what you can buy, shall we? Here are 10 hilariously marked-up items that you can buy or bid on now. This is crazy, guys. To every woman who bought more than her fair share of this collection: I hope all your sea urchin shifts shrink in the wash. 10-Light Outdoor Clear Hanging Garden String Light

Features 10 incandescent bulbs For use indoors or outdoors Illuminate your gazebo, canopy or outdoor area with these Clear Globe Garden Lights. The decorative lights have 10 incandescent clear bulbs with G50 glass cover to light your entertainment area. For indoor and outdoor use. 10 ft. total length 9 ft. lighted length For indoor and outdoor use Exterior Lighting Product Type: 3 Can I find replacement bulbs? 1 Do you stock these outdoor hanging string lights with white wires? 1 How many strings can I join together? Hi,I will need approximately 9 strings (~90 ft) of lighting to decorate a space in my backyard. How many strings of these bulbs can I join together to avoid any issues? 1 Why are these 90 day maximum use? Two questions: 1) Why these are labeled "For Temporary Use Only (Maximum 90 Days). I live in SW Florida and would like to use them year-round. 2) Do you have other similar lighting options for more permanent use?