We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Shopping Holiday Gift Reviews Holiday Decor Reviews The 17 Best Christmas Lights for Festive Illumination of 2023 Spruce up your home with the multi-colored Christmas lights from Fairy Lights Factory. By Gabriel Morgan Gabriel Morgan Gabriel Morgan is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, New York. His commerce work focuses on outdoor gear, creative tools, tech, and consumer products for the home and garden. Also a writer of fiction and poetry, he released his first collection of poems in 2021. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Quincy Bulin Quincy Bulin Quincy Bulin is a freelance writer who covers fashion and lifestyle. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 4, 2023 Fact checked by Emily Estep Fact checked by Emily Estep Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she's an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants. Learn about BHG's Fact Checking Process In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line What to Know Before Shopping Your Questions, Answered Who We Are Better Homes & Gardens / David Hattan The best Christmas lights bring festivity to the darkness of winter: coiling around our tree to fill its boughs with dots of light, lining our eaves, and bringing us together with our loved ones around the holiday spirit. “Just like any design you should have a focal point,” says Jowill Leano, senior designer at home building company Welcome Homes. “This can be a giant star you hang from a gable or a Christmas tree made out of lights. I think lights are a good way to express yourself and really help bring around the cheer.” But Christmas lights aren’t only for Christmas time. While these light strings reliably make our homes merry around the holidays, they can also add a twinkle of light to our dorms, decks, or apartments all year long. Whether incandescent or LED, rope light, or icicle, the best Christmas lights come in many varieties and colors, each its own merry string of cheer. “The more colors, the happier!” says Carine Le Garrec, owner of Fairy Lights Factory. “The less colors, the calmer and softer.” Whether you want mini bulbs, large C9s for a display, color changing LEDs, or classic incandescents, there’s a set of Christmas lights for you. But when you’re shopping, don’t forget the other factors, like length, the lead from the plug to the first bulb, and what sort of power source the lights are compatible with. Cyber Monday Deals Govee Outdoor String Lights, our Best Splurge pick, is 31% off. JMEXSUSS Warm White Christmas Lights Indoor, our Best for Outdoor Trees, is 29% off. Our Top Picks Best Overall: FUNPENY C6 Christmas String Lights at Amazon (See Price) Jump to Review Best Budget: 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire at Amazon ($13) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights at Amazon ($55) Jump to Review Best for Outdoor Trees: JMEXSUSS LED Indoor String Lights at Amazon ($16) Jump to Review Best White: 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire at Amazon ($13) Jump to Review Best Color: Prextex Multicolor Christmas Lights at Amazon ($10) Jump to Review Best Novelty: Fairy Lights Factory String Lights at Fairylightsfactory.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Solar: Sanjicha Solar String Lights at Amazon ($22) Jump to Review Best Icicle: Toodour Icicle Lights at Amazon ($35) Jump to Review Best Smart: Twinkly LED App Controlled String Lights at Amazon ($102) Jump to Review Best Overall FUNPENY C6 Christmas String Lights Amazon View On Amazon Why You Should Get It These festive faceted lights are available in six colors that have eight light modes. Keep in Mind Unlike many others on this list, these don’t have any certifications or ratings. The best Christmas lights are cheery, festive, and customizable to your preferences. The C6 bulbs on this option are designed with classic faceting that catches the light, exuding a traditional and nostalgic look for the holiday season. You can pick from six colors: warm white, purple, orange, red, green, and multicolor. The eight light modes, which you can activate via a setting button on the plug, include combination, waves, sequential, slow glow, flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on. Every time the lights are turned on and off, they reset to the default. Each 33-foot string includes a 9.8-foot leading wire and 100 LED bulbs spaced 3.9 inches apart. Plus, you can connect up to five sets, for a total of 165 feet and 500 LED bulbs. The brand says they’re waterproof, which means they can be used both indoors and outdoors, but there are no listed certifications. Product Details: Length: 33 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: C6 | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 100 Best Budget 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire Amazon View On Amazon $13 Why You Should Get It You get an incredible value with 115 feet of coverage, 320 LED bulbs, and eight light modes. Keep in Mind There are no warm white or multicolor options. It’s impossible to not get in the holiday spirit with 115 feet of 320 LED lights to decorate with—especially when they’re so affordably priced. Counting end-to-end connections, you could have up to 575 feet with an impressive 1,600 LED bulbs. Fan favorite colors like warm white and multicolor aren’t available, which is a downside, but there is cool white, blue, and orange. At any given time, you can choose from eight lighting settings: combination, waves, sequential, slogs, flash, slow fade, twinkle, and steady on. Even better, the transparent wire helps the string blend in with its surroundings. With a protection rating of IP44, the strings are waterproof except for the plug. Product Details: Length: 115 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: 5MM | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 320 bulbs Best Splurge Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $55 View On Target $75 View On Walmart $80 Why You Should Get It There are 16 million colors, 47 lighting patterns, and four music modes to customize your lights. Keep in Mind The bulbs are very spread out, with 15 on the 48 foot string. Techies and creatives will be impressed with the features of these lights. There are a whopping 16 million colors to choose from, and you can even upload a photo to the Govee Home app for it to pull colors from. You can control the lights via the Govee Home app, Alexa, or Google Assistant. In addition to colors, the bulbs can also be set to 47 different lighting patterns. And there’s more: With an integrated mic, the lights can automatically sync to your music (there are four music modes). These LED lights are shatterproof and have a waterproof rating of IP65, except for the power adapter. There's a decent distance between the bulbs, with approximately one bulb every three feet (15 bulbs per 48 foot string) so the strings do look a little sparse. The two included strings can be connected together for a total of 96 feet. Product Details: Length: 48 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: S14 | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 15 Best for Outdoor Trees JMEXSUSS LED Indoor String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $16 View On Walmart $16 Why You Should Get It This pick is surprisingly affordable for the length, and has eight lighting modes, a timer function, and 15 different color options. Keep in Mind If you unplug these lights, the next time you plug them in, the lighting mode will reset. These are the best Christmas lights for outdoor trees, but they’re also an impressive budget buy. You get 200 soft and bright LED bulbs across 66 feet of clear wire for under $20. (If you need more length though, you can connect multiple strings together.) Not only that, but you’re able to choose between 15 unique color options. Once you’ve picked your color, you have one more choice: which of the eight lighting modes (waves, combination, fading, fireflies, chasing, twinkle, slow fade, and steady-on) you want to use. They’re controlled by a button on the plug, and the automatic timer function keeps the lights on for six hours and off for 18. Note that if you unplug these lights, the lighting mode will reset when you plug them in again. This feature isn’t a dealbreaker, but it could be inconvenient. These lights are waterproof and have a protection rating of IP44. The plug, however, isn’t waterproof, though the 10 foot lead wire should allow you to keep it out of the elements. They also have a UL588 safety certification, which means there’s a reduced risk of electrical shock or fire. Product Details: Length: 66 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb shape: 5MM | Connection: Yes | Bulb count: 200 bulbs Best White 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights on White Wire Amazon View On Amazon $13 Why You Should Get It These indoor/outdoor incandescent string lights are available as a string of 50 or 100—and for an affordable price. Keep in Mind Incandescents usually use considerably more power than LEDs and don’t last as long. For a warm, incandescent glow, the 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights are the best Christmas lights to add ambiance to your space. These lights come in a string of 50 or 100 on a white wire that matches the white bulbs. At 20 feet long, the 100-light string features bulbs that are spaced 2.2 inches apart, with an 18-inch lead from the male plug and a 6-inch tail before the female plug. The 50-bulb string is 11 feet long, with the same 18-inch lead and 6-inch tail, and 2.2 inch bulb spacing. UL-approved for outdoor use, these lights will create an inviting atmosphere whether you hang them inside or out. The purchase also includes two replacement bulbs, and a replacement fuse, which fits the fuse compartment in the plug. Two included flasher bulbs can make the lights flash in unison if you choose to add them to the string. While incandescent lights rarely last as long as LEDs, this Vermont Light set does come at a low price. Because of its affordable price and warm, pleasant glow, these lights are the best white Christmas lights on our list. Product Details: Length: 11 or 20 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 50 or 100 Best Color Prextex Multicolor Christmas Lights Amazon View On Amazon $10 Why You Should Get It These colorful incandescent Christmas lights are affordably priced and produce a bright glow. Keep in Mind Incandescent bulbs consume more energy than LEDs. There’s nothing like a Christmas tree covered in bright multi-colored lights to create a festive mood. We found the Prextex multi-color Christmas lights to be the best Christmas lights in their category for their warm incandescence and colorful hues. With an end-to-end connection that can power up to six sets, a few strings of Prextex lights make for an affordable choice to light up your whole Christmas den or coat the eaves of a multi-story farmhouse. Each string features 100 lights, spread across a cord that’s just under 20 feet. With a classic green cord, they’ll blend seamlessly against Christmas trees and shrubbery. They’re also waterproof and suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Two replacement fuses, two replacement bulbs, and two flasher bulbs are included with the purchase, which make repairs easy and will keep your string of lights twinkling for longer. While these incandescents might not last as long as contemporary LEDs and will consume more energy, their classic appeal and solid value make them the best choice for colorful Christmas lights. Product Details: Length: 20 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 100 Best Novelty Fairy Lights Factory String Lights Fairy Lights Factory View On Fairylightsfactory.com Why You Should Get It Fairy Lights Factory makes attractive cotton globe light strings featuring lots of vibrant colors made to match different design schemes. Keep in Mind As a small business, their free personalized design service might take time to respond. Fairy Lights Factory is a small business in Larchmont, New York, that makes custom lighting with multi-colored cotton balls fitted to Christmas lights. The brand’s ample pre-designed sets will fit any season or aesthetic—not just Christmas. On the Fairy Lights Factory website, you’ll find over 30 pre-designed lighting sets as well as a build-your-own service that allows you to create your own color schemes. Each set gives you an option of 20, 35, or 50 lights. Among the brand’s sets you’ll find Nathan, which will look right at home among Hanukkah decorations, Vanille, which gives a traditional and neutral winter glow, and so many more. “I would recommend choosing four or five colors that match the color scheme of your room,” says Carine Le Garrec, owner of Fairy Lights Factory. “The lights also look great when they are not lit up and can be used in a number of ways; put them around a mirror, an indoor plant or tree, in a redundant fireplace, or in a vase.” If you’re just not sure what fits, then Fairy Lights Factory is happy to help. Its website includes a Design Help page where you can reach out for personalized advice on color picks and even send a photo of your space over for Fairy Lights Factory to match with a custom design. However, keep in mind that since it’s a small business, the company may not respond immediately. Product Details: Length: 12, 18, or 24 feet | Bulb type: Incandescent or LED by request | Bulb size/shape: Cotton bulb cover | Number of lights: 20, 35, or 50 Best Solar Sanjicha Solar String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $22 View On Walmart $36 Why You Should Get It These solar lights include two 72-foot strands of fairy lights and two solar panels; they’re also waterproof with an IP65 score. Keep in Mind The wire on fairy lights is much thinner than other string lights. Even without the solar panels, the Sanjicha string lights would be good value, but as is, these fairy lights are a pretty incredible combo pack. The lights include two 72-foot strands and two solar panels, which totals to 144 feet of fairy lights, powered off the grid. Designed for the outdoors, these fairy lights feature an IP65 ingress protection rating, which guarantees that they’ll withstand rain, sleet, and sand. Each strand attaches to a solar panel with a battery and features a mode control that will have them twinkling or glowing for hours after the sun has set. Connected via a copper wire, the two strands of miniature glowing LEDs feature 200 lights each. While they may not be as bright as some alternatives, this is one of the best value light sets we’ve seen. The fact that they use solar power and won’t add to your electric bill is an additional plus. Product Details: Length: Two strands, 72 feet each | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: Two strands, with 200 lights each The 9 Best Solar Lights of 2024 for Brightening Your Outdoor Space, According to Lab Testing Best Icicle Toodour Icicle Lights Amazon View On Amazon $35 View On Sears.com $44 Why You Should Get It Not only do you get nearly 400 LEDs spread across 60 icicles, but Toodour LEDs are also waterproof. Keep in Mind Some users reported that unboxing these lights was a bit time consuming. There’s nothing more wintery than icicles, but icicles also don’t have to be cold. Light your house up with the warm glow of Toodour Christmas Icicle Lights. If you’re after the best Christmas lights for your home’s eaves, then these icicle lights are the best Christmas lights for you. Toodour’s 29.5-foot string lights feature 60 icicles strands, for a total of 360 LED lights, and the brand also offers string lights in lengths up to 100 feet. The strands are waterproof, with an ingress protection rating of IP44, though it’s important to remember that its adapter does not feature the same waterproofing and should be protected from the elements. The lights are also available in several different color options, including multicolor, white, and white and blue. With so many energy-saving LED lights in a string, Toodour was an easy pick for the best icicle lights. Just keep in mind that you may have to spend a bit of time taking the lights out of their packaging during their first use. Product Details: Length: 29.5, 35.4, 50, or 100 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 360, 432, 612, or 1,224 The 9 Best Ladders for Painting, Home Improvement, and Outdoor Use, According to Our Tests Best Smart Twinkly LED App Controlled String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $102 Why You Should Get It These mappable LED Christmas lights connect to your phone to run through fully customizable color and pattern variations. Keep in Mind These lights are pricey and do require a somewhat technical setup. With so much innovation going on across tech, it’s about time someone innovated the Christmas light. And where innovation is concerned, Twinkly Strings has it. An Italian LED brand, Twinkly has opened up new avenues for what your string of Christmas lights can do, with app-controlled, multi-function effects in a variety of colors. Twinkly Strings are available with up to 600 LED lights. Mapped on the Twinkly app, these lights can be programmed with a plethora of motion effects, gradients, and colors. To do so, the app will ask you to scan your lighting display from multiple angles. Once you’re set up, simply program away with intuitive controls. The app is capable of programming up to 4,000 lights at once. While the potential to wow is vast, be aware that some users say programming your Twinkly Strings is a bit of a fussy business. As with most complex technology, the best results take patience and maybe a little troubleshooting. However, those who are willing to spend the time on it can achieve magical results, with hundreds of LEDs glowing in unison in real time, coiled through Christmas trees, across the eaves, and throughout your garden’s trellis or pergola. Product Details: Length: 26, 66, 105, or 157.5 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 100, 250, 400, or 600 Best Mini Louis Choice LED String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $13 View On Sears.com Why You Should Get It The IP44 water-resistant rating means these LED string lights work inside and outside. Keep in Mind The remote control option costs extra, but we think it’s worth the cost. Our top pick for the best mini lights is this remote-controlled option by Louis Choice. You can use the remote to effortlessly turn the LED lights on and off as well as schedule a specific time for your lights to come on. These mini lights can connect one to the next, linking up to 10 strands to one transformer and remote, giving you control of a vast amount of sparkles with a simple click of a button. Their IP44 rating means they can resist rain and snow, although they are not waterproof. With an attractive copper wire, these are some of the best Christmas lights for year-round ornamental garden installation. They can be purchased with or without an included remote, but we recommend springing for the remote option, as the remote offers the only way to turn the lights on and off without physically unplugging them from the socket. Product Details: Length: 49 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 100 Best LED Brizled Christmas Lights Amazon View On Amazon $22 Why You Should Get It Brizled is an LED set with easily adjustable colors, a remote, and between 200 and 1,000 LED lights per string. Keep in Mind Some users report that the remote range isn’t reliable, so you may have to get closer than the advertised 26.25 feet. One of the best Christmas light sets we’ve seen overall, Brizled’s lights include 11 lighting modes, a remote, a timer function, and waterproofing. If you’re looking for a light set and want a little bit of everything, then this is a versatile pick. Easily cycle between white and multicolored lights with the press of a button on the remote, and change the brightness setting while you’re at it with four settings. While the remote provides lots of options, some have experienced an inconsistent range, which Brizled claims to be between 16.4 feet and 26.25 feet. You may have to get a little closer than that to use the remote, but it will still prevent you from having to bend over to manually unplug and plug in the lights. The string lights also include a timer, which allows you to schedule a specific time for your lights to turn on. With small bulbs, a green cord that will blend in with your Christmas tree, and end-to-end connections, these lights can be connected to two more strings—more than enough to fill out even the largest of indoor Christmas trees, depending on the length of strand you choose. The versatility and multiple color options that come with this light set make it the best choice for LED Christmas lights. Product Details: Length: 82, 115, 181, 279, or 361 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 200, 300, 500, 800, or 1,000 Best Fairy Vont Starry Fairy Lights Amazon View On Amazon Why You Should Get It You can plug them in via a USB power adapter or to any USB source. Keep in Mind Unlike many fairy lights, these need to be plugged in and don’t come with a battery pack. Vont Starry Fairy Lights are the best Christmas lights for year-round use to turn your garden, porch, or bedroom into a space that feels whimsical and cozy. At 66 feet long, these fairy lights stand out from other fairy lights that have short wires and battery packs. Instead of a battery pack, this strand of lights plugs into a USB source, and the lights include a USB power adapter and cable. They are also durably made of three copper wires, which are sealed for waterproofing. Product Details: Length: 66 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini (fairy) | Number of lights: 200 Best C9 Wintergreen Lighting C9 LED Christmas String Lights Amazon View On Amazon $62 View On Walmart $24 Why You Should Get It Made for outdoor adornment, these powerful LED C9 bulbs are extremely bright and are built to last with double-thick bulbs. Keep in Mind These are more expensive than many alternatives. The Opticore Large Bulb is an LED version of the classic C9 bulb that’ll help you go bigger and brighter than anyone else on your block...not that it’s a competition. Built for the outdoors, these large polycarbonate C9 bulbs are compatible with Christmas light clips and easy to run along your home’s gutters and eaves. The ultra-bright, low-energy LEDs use 21 watts per 25-foot line, and each line is connectable up to 960 watts, or around a thousand lights. This power capability and build quality makes these a great pick for withstanding the elements. C9 lights remind us of the Christmas light displays of our youth, and this LED set only updates that aesthetic and ushers it into the modern, low-power-consuming LED era. They’re available in a variety of different hues, including multicolor, red, green, blue, pink, and warm white. The only downside is the premium you’ll pay for that sturdy build and remarkable brightness. Product Details: Length: From 25 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: C9 Large | Number of lights: From 25 Best Rope Light GuoTonG LED Rope Lights Amazon View On Amazon $35 Why You Should Get It This waterproof rope light is IP65 rated and suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Keep in Mind Some might find this rope light too bright. The Guotong LED Rope Light is a powerful lighting tool for decorating your porch railing, filling out the underside of the deck with light, or running your rope light along the eaves to outline your home. With 900 LEDs lining the interior of the transparent 50-foot Guotong rope, this rope light can get very bright—so much so that it may be too much for a lot of in-home applications. The rope is fully waterproofed for outdoor use, with an IP65 ingress protection rating and thick walls that are sturdy enough to keep moisture out. Indoors, this rope makes a great accent piece behind a recessed panel, while outside, it gives you lots of options for bright contour-defining illumination of your home. The light’s design certainly has powerful applications for illuminating your home’s grounds throughout the dark days of the winter. We think it’s the best Christmas light for bright pops of outdoor illumination, particularly when you’re looking to direct people along wooded paths or safely guide them along bodies of water in the dark. Product Details: Length: 18, 20, or 50 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Rope, SMD F3 LEDs | Number of lights: 150 or 540 Best Christmas Light Projector YUEGANG Christmas Laser Lights Amazon View On Amazon $38 View On Sears.com $37 Why You Should Get It For an affordable price, this laser system douses your house in glowing Christmas patterns. Keep in Mind The IP44 rating for the adapter means it’s water resistant but not waterproof. You’ll want to bring it inside or place it in a sheltered area during heavy rain. Cover your home in a dazzling array of moving light with the Yuegang Christmas Laser Lights. Projecting snowflakes, Christmas trees, moving dots, and more, this system sets up in the front yard to envelop your home in festive cheer for the best Christmas lights in your neighborhood. With five patterns and two colors as well as multiple speeds and flashing modes, the lights are fairly customizable. The projector also features a slew of useful features, including a UL-approved waterproof plug, an overall IP65 rating that certifies it rain- and snow-proof, a 16.5-foot cord, timer function, and a remote control. Be aware that the adapter is only IP44 rated, meaning it’s water resistant but not waterproof. You will need to bring it inside in the event of a downpour. Product Details: Length: Not applicable | Bulb type: Laser | Bulb size/shape: Not applicable | Number of lights: Not applicable The Home Depot Is Launching an 8-Foot ‘Towering’ Santa This Christmas Best Net Lights Lyhope LED Christmas Net Lights Amazon View On Amazon $38 View On Sears.com $23 Why You Should Get It Budget priced, waterproof with an IP44 rating, and generously sized for easy draping, this is a sensible pick for easy shrub coverage. Keep in Mind Some users report that the light pattern setting doesn’t save when the power’s off. Decking the halls can be time-consuming. Why not pick Christmas lights that make it easy? Lyhope makes the best Christmas light net we’ve seen for easy installation. It checks all the boxes: bright LEDs that are warmer than others, waterproofing, and a budget price. It’s also available in multiple color options. This net light comes in a 6.6- or 12-foot option that is appropriately sized for shrubs. With 360 separate LEDs, it creates a bright shimmering surface that fills the bushes with twinkles. With a 9.8-foot lead cable, it’s easy to set up anywhere. The lights feature an IP44 water-resistant rating, but it should be noted that this doesn’t extend to the power adapter, which should be kept dry. With eight power modes that include fairy twinkles, undulating waves of light, and steady on, you’ll be able to match your net lights to the waving Santa Claus decoration on the lawn or adjust them to match the steady twinkle with the C9 lights along the eaves. Unfortunately, some users report that this net light set doesn’t save your mode selection after being powered down, so you may need to reset it. Altogether, we think the Lyhope net light is a solid choice for a warm LED net light that won’t cost you too much, especially with its nearly 10-foot lead power line and water (and snow) proofing. Product Details: Length: 6.6 or 12 feet | Bulb type: LED | Bulb size/shape: Mini | Number of lights: 160 or 360 The 10 Best Outdoor String Lights of 2024 to Illuminate Your Backyard The Bottom Line Whether you’re looking for a line of Christmas lights to ornament your trees, a great string of C9s to show off your home, or that perfect string of multi-colored lights for the Christmas tree, there are so many ways to decorate for Christmas. But the best Christmas lights aren’t only for the holidays. The best Christmas lights overall are the FUNPENY C6 Christmas String Lights, which are faceted and available in six colors with eight light modes. We picked the 612 Vermont 100 Clear Christmas Lights as our favorite string of white lights for their warm incandescent glow and respectable build quality and the Prextex 100-Count Multi Color Green Wire Christmas Lights for our favorite multi-color lights. For the best LED option, Brizled Christmas Lights are available in white or multi-color hues and will save you money on electricity. What to Know About Christmas Lights Before Shopping Light Type Traditional incandescent Christmas lights are made with multi-colored, frosted, or clear glass, whereas LED lights can often be color-customizable, switching between white light and multi-colored light. When choosing between LED Christmas lights and incandescents, there are a couple of factors to keep in mind. LED lights use 80 to 90 percent less energy than incandescent Christmas lights, leading to significant power savings over time. LEDs are also often constructed more ruggedly and get less hot—because of this, the bulbs may last much longer than incandescents. Incandescents are known for having markedly warmer tones than LEDs. While some LEDs manage to warm up the signature of their light, it’s usually not as warm and comforting as a classic incandescent string. If you’re looking for truly warm white lights on your Christmas tree or multi-colored bulbs that don’t have that slight blue cast, then incandescents are a better pick. When we asked Le Garrec about LEDs and incandescents, she said, “LED lights use less energy but will never equal the brightness of incandescent lights. The main advantage is that you can connect them to a power-bank and use them everywhere without a wall plug.” In the end, the choice comes down to aesthetics. LEDs will usually serve you better for longer and save money on electricity, but incandescents achieve that warm Christmas glow in a way that many still want. If you’re torn, we recommend using a safe incandescent line of lights on your Christmas tree centerpiece but picking a good LED line, like the Opticore Large Bulb, for outdoor use. Most solar-powered Christmas lights use LED bulbs and will power themselves without affecting your energy bill. Weather Resistance When you’re buying lights for outdoor use, it’s important to make sure they can hold up to the elements. Most of the best Christmas lights for the outdoors feature ingress protection ratings, which certify how well they keep out water and snow. When reading ingress protection ratings, it’s important to understand what the numbers and letters mean. These are usually written as a code: IPXX. "IP" stands for "Ingress Protection." The first variable "X" signifies how well the object keeps out dust and other such matter. The latter "X" signifies how well it keeps out water and snow. We recommend at least IP44 for outdoor lights, which means the lights are water resistant against rain, snow, and splashes. If you want a completely waterproof set, look for a rating of IP65. Length Length varies considerably among Christmas lights. It’s a good idea to measure out the space you’re hoping to cover with lights before you buy to ensure that you get enough lights. If you’re hanging fairy lights over your bed, you might only need 10 feet of lights. However, if you’re looking to line the eaves of a large house, you might need 100 feet or more. Bulb Size and Shape There are a variety of bulb sizes and shapes on the market. Fairy lights are usually the smallest bulbs while mini LEDs are often larger than fairy lights. Fairy lights and mini lights often range from around 5.5 to 22 millimeters. The most common lights for indoor Christmas trees are T1.75 string lights, which are usually between 5.5 millimeters in diameter and 44.45 millimeters long. C7 lights are a larger intermediary size and are around seven inches, with the "C" standing for "cone." C9 lights are large 9-inch Christmas lights that are usually used to adorn displays, eaves, and storefronts. It should be noted that Christmas light sizing frequently mixes and matches metric and English units and often doesn’t keep to standard sizing. Because of this, it’s a good idea to look for sizing on a case-by-case basis, rather than assuming every light within a given category is the same. Number of Lights The number of lights varies dramatically from one string to the next. A boutique string of ornamental lights might only have 10 lights on it while a modern LED rope light could feature 900 LEDs. How many lights are right for your space will depend on what that space is. For example, a short string of 10, C7-style bulbs hung over a Christmas wreath could look quite elegant in a dining room, while fully decking a long hedge with mini LEDs could require hundreds or thousands of lights. If you’re looking to use Christmas lights to illuminate a dark outdoor setting, you’ll likely want to use more lights. Your Questions, Answered What type of Christmas lights do professionals use? “The biggest difference between the lights that we use and those that are found in big box retailers is the quality of construction; professional lighting is commercial-grade and made to last with repeated use,” explains Jerry Cavallaro, marketing manager at commercial Christmas decorating company Rent-a-Christmas. If you want a professional look, the type of Christmas lights you reach for will depend on the specific results you’re trying to achieve. For example, RGB lighting is great when you want to introduce multiple color options or animated sequences. “In the right hands, nearly any Christmas lights can look good if hung properly,” Cavallaro adds. Is it okay to leave LED Christmas lights on all night? Just because LED Christmas lights are safer than incandescent lights, doesn’t mean you should leave them on all night. This is because, as Cavallaro says, “in addition to saving money, there are still some hazards that can be associated with them being on for extended periods.” Can you use outdoor Christmas lights inside? Yes. “The main difference between outdoor and indoor lights is that they are constructed to prevent moisture from causing electrical failures,” Cavallaro states. That said, before hanging them you should check how hot the lights get and if there are any instructions stating that they specifically should not be used inside. Can indoor Christmas lights get wet? Because indoor Christmas lights aren’t rated for weather resistance, they shouldn’t get wet. “If they do get wet, unplug them immediately and do not reuse them until they are completely dry,” advises Cavallaro. Who We Are Gabriel Morgan is a writer for Better Homes and Gardens. He writes about outdoor gear, goods for the home and garden, and technology. For the purposes of this article he interviewed Jowill Leano, senior designer at Welcome Homes, a tech-enabled home building company that streamlines everything from design, to permitting, to build. He also interviewed Carine Le Garrec, owner of Fairy Lights Factory. When researching the products featured on this list, he spent hours looking through product lists, examining spec sheets, reading over message boards on Christmas products, and perusing Christmas light reviews. This article was updated by Quincy Bulin, a freelance writer who covers fashion and lifestyle. She consulted Jerry Cavallaro, marketing manager at commercial Christmas decorating company Rent-a-Christmas for additional insight. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit