Light Up Your Holiday Home: A Christmas Lights Buying Guide

Christmas light displays, whether big or small, are a staple for the holiday season, bringing a charming, festive and often nostalgic glow to your home. With so many different choices, it can be hard to know which type of lights will be the perfect fit. It’s important to nail down the look you’re going for so it’s easier to find what you need when you shop. Start by asking yourself the following questions to decide which type of Christmas lights to buy.

• Do I need incandescent or LED Christmas lights?
• What bulb shape or style best suits my design vision?
• How many strands will it take to cover the area?
• Do I want white, colored or multicolor Christmas lights?
• Do I need the cords to blend in?

It's also important to consider energy usage — with more lights being powered during the holidays, you’ll want to help save on your energy bill while still getting the glow you want. Here are few things to keep in mind:

• Use automatic timers to turn your lighting displays off and on.
• Choose LED Christmas lights over incandescent lights, especially when covering large areas.

Which is best, LED Christmas lights or incandescent Christmas lights? If you’re looking for brightness and longevity, then LED Christmas lights are the perfect choice. Some LEDs are rated up to 100,000 hours, giving you plenty of shine that lasts for multiple seasons. LEDs also use less energy than incandescent lights and burn at a lower temperature while providing a very bright glow. Incandescent lights are generally a more budget-friendly choice, as they often cost less than LEDs, and they have the warm, nostalgic glow that’s associated with the holidays.

String Lights: String lights are perfect for wrapping around trees, garland, wreaths, doorways, stair rails, porch columns and more. There are a few different bulb types to choose from, including mini, wide-angle mini and large-bulb lights. Which you choose depends on how you want to showcase the lights in your display.

Icicle Lights: Hung along eaves and fences to mimic dripping snow, icicle lights give your home a shimmery, snowy appearance. Some are designed to look like real icicle formations, while others are mini lights on a vertical section of cord. Either option enhances holiday displays with whimsy.

Net Lights: Net lights are already strung together into net-like patterns, making it easy to turn plain bushes and shrubs into uniform shimmering displays.

Rope Lights: If you’re looking for a way to outline doorways, windows and walkways, rope lights are a great choice. They’re also ideal for creating intricate shapes and designs.

Light Show Projectors: This Christmas lighting option is a timesaving alternative to traditional string lights. Simply plug them into an outlet and aim them anywhere — at garage doors, indoor or outdoor trees, or dwellings — and create a Christmas light show with vibrant LED patterns and colors.

Pathway Lights: Pathway lights feature built-in stakes that let you easily light a walkway or driveway or edge a flower bed. Choose from a variety of shapes and styles to suit your display.

Battery-Operated Lights: Battery-operated lights are a great solution for displays that won’t be set up near an outlet or located where cords could be unsafe. Think unlit door wreaths, table centerpieces and mantel displays.

Bulb style makes an impact on your display. Here are some of the most common styles that blend tradition, brightness and aesthetics that most people are searching for.

Mini String Lights: These small bulbs have been a popular choice for the past few decades. They are the classic Christmas lights that everyone is most familiar with.

Wide-Angle Mini Lights: These small low-profile, flat-topped bulbs give off a brighter glow than some varieties. They’re a good choice for more modern displays.

Large-Bulb Lights: Large-bulb styles, like C7 and C9 Christmas lights, lend visual impact with a retro feel. They work well for outdoor decorating or on large trees. Some feature a faceted design that creates a twinkling effect.

Micro Lights: Also known as fairy lights, micro lights have extra small LEDs on thin wire strands. They offer a delicate, magical look that works well for centerpieces, garland and wreaths.

While you can keep the look classic, there are novelty lights that come with unique-shaped bulb covers, including designs like presents, snowflakes and more, that enhance your display with festive holiday icons and characters.

When it comes to lights, some people have a strong preference for either color/multicolor or white Christmas lights. Here are some considerations:

• White Christmas lights lend a timeless look, while colored lights are fun and festive. Plus, you can coordinate them to create complex designs.
• Not all white LED lights are the same hue. Some give off a warmer yellow light, while others have a bluer tint.
• You can color block large areas with single-colored strands for a dramatic effect.
• Get children involved by allowing them to cover an assigned area with a color scheme of their choice.
• If you have a theme for your Christmas decorations or prefer to have the option to switch between colored and white, choose light strands with a color-changing light pattern.

Be intentional with your cord color too — you don’t want the cord to distract from the glow of the bulbs.

• Green cords are the typical choice for trees, garlands and wreaths since they blend in with the greenery.
• White cords work well where a green cord would stand out — think snowy scenes on mantels and walls or white Christmas trees.
• If you’re wrapping string lights around tree trunks and other natural outdoor settings or hanging along fences, brown cords disappear into these backgrounds.

Though not as common, other cord color options include black, silver and clear.

Lights have come a long way, and while the tradition of hanging lights is still top of mind, lighting technologies and modern functionalities make decorating easier, more flexible and more magical. Some lights come with remote controls for convenient on/off control, the ability to remain lit even if one bulb burns out, and linkable strands to create larger lighting displays with ease. Here are some other features to look for:

Light Patterns: Some of the best Christmas lights for outdoors and other decorating needs feature multiple light patterns, giving you the option to choose effects like twinkling, color-changing or a steady glow.

App Control: Whether you’re home or away, you can easily manage your light displays right from your phone.

Timers: Light displays with a timer function keep you from having to remember to turn them on and off and can be beneficial for energy savings.

Dimmable: Dimmable lights let you mute the shine to create different moods for different setups. This can be helpful for indoor holiday decorations where you want to add lights but don’t need as bright a shine.

RGBIC Technology: This advanced lighting solution offers the ultimate control, allowing you to customize segments of lights to create a truly unique light display.

What are the best roofline Christmas lights? What looks best on trees and around windows? If you’re using lights outside, make sure they’re rated for outdoor use.

Rooflines: String lights with large LED bulbs are great for outlining rooflines and eaves. The larger bulb style helps your design stand out and is easier to see from the road. Icicle lights are another great option.

Trees: Strands of mini string lights are perfect for wrapping your tree in a holiday glow. They tuck neatly into the branches and offer a variety of color options to suit your preference or theme. You can also wrap the trunks of trees in your landscape with string lights.

Windows: Rope lights make a great choice for outlining windows and door frames. Of if you prefer, mini string lights are a good alternative.

What's the best way to hang Christmas lights? Some Christmas lights, such as net lights, make it easy. Our How to Decorate a Christmas Tree guide will give you tips on adding both lights and ornaments to your tree. Take a look at our video How to Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights to learn how to create your own outdoor Christmas lights display.

Look for Christmas light clips and hangers that can simplify decorating with lights indoors and out. You can find clips that let you easily hang lights on mirrors, banisters and more. For outdoors, you’ll see clips that let you install exterior Christmas house lights on gutters, soffits, deck railings, windows, doors, brickwork and even your roof. You can also find lawn stakes that will suspend your lights along walkways, sidewalks and driveways.

When decorating with Christmas lights, make sure it’s done safely.

• Use a sturdy ladder to reach high places.
• Follow the manufacturer’s specifications for how many strands you can safely connect.
• Make the sure lights aren’t drawing more power than your outlets can handle.
• Don’t use indoor lights outside, and vice versa. Choosing lights rated for indoor and outdoor use can help.
• Pair lights with extension cords that have appropriate amp capacities.
• If you’re using extension cords outdoors, make sure they’re intended for exterior locations.
• Avoid creating a tripping hazard when placing your cords.
• Keep outdoor Christmas lights off the ground to avoid moisture, which can lead to a short.
• At the end of the season, store Christmas lights properly, like in a string light storage container to prevent tangling.

For those looking to ease the process of decorating every holiday season, installing a permanent lighting system is a real time saver. Once they're installed you’ll have beautiful customized, integrated lighting for every season, event and more — no need to rehang.