Poppa Smurf...
go find friendly electrician, get a small plastic cable drum ( about 100-150 mm diameter) wrap ya lights around the glad wrap as Marquis also suggested. the drums have small holes each end where you can put the start/finish ends through. Been doing it for about 5 years.
re ya neighbours stupidity, find the biggest banger you can and after all their fireworks have finished and everything is quiet, remove their letterbox with said banger.
