Every Christmas when I hang my lights I seal all male/female
connections between cords with electrical tape so that water should
not penetrate and short out the circuit. I was wondering if anyone
objects to doing this.

I object. Please don't do that anymore.

**kidding** I do it too.

On a related note can someone recommend a brand of LED xmas lights that are
as bright as typical miniature incandescents? I bought some last year but
they are noticably dimmer. I always put white lights on the roofline of
the house (using clips so each is positioned just so) and it looks nice.
But I'm one of those people for whom incandescent light looks yellowish so
white LED's look great--really really white--plus they look different than
anyone else's lights. I want them brighter though.