You won't be messing with live wires, but it is still a little dicey. Firecracker Light bulb Dismantle a light bulb so that the filament is still intact and insert a firecracker fuse into the filament. Carefully tape the firecracker to the light bulb's base so it doesn't pull out the fuse. Place the bulb in a lamp, ceiling fixture, etc. Then all you do is wait until the victim turns on the light.
Confusion is followed by fright as the person hears the fuse burning and then hears a loud pop.
If you're a bozo and shock yourself, don't complain to us. The are so many good Vaseline pranks I don't know where to start. For brevity's sake I will just cover three of my favorites, all simple and all very effective. Consider these the ultimate in beginner's pranks. It's hard to screw them up and nobody can get hurt.