5 Types of Christmas Lights and Where to Use Them

By Southern Living Editors
November 15, 2019
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Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez
Trim the roof, wrap the trees, and line the driveway with festive lights to boost holiday curb appeal this season. Picking the right lights for the different spaces in your yard can be tricky. We asked light pro Bill Frey of Atlanta-based Illuminating Design to share his expert tips for turning your home into a magical holiday display. For starters, he recommends always picking LED bulbs for outdoor decorating. They’re pricier but worth the investment—they have a sturdier construction than incandescent strands and have a much longer lifespan. Here, he breaks down the different styles and sizes of bulbs so you can pick the right one for your holiday decorating. 
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5-mm Mini String Lights

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Best For: Christmas trees and exterior bushes and branches

These stubby lights emit less of a flicker because the filaments aren’t visible through the bulbs. Warm white LED bulbs create a halo effect around branches.

Buy It: 50 5mm Warm White LED Christmas Lights, 6" Spacing, $19; amazon.com

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C9

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Best For: Dormers, eaves, and peaks of roofs

Frey advises placing the centermost bulb at the peak of the roofline to align the lights hanging from each side.

Buy It: Wintergreen Lighting OptiCore C9 LED Multi-Color Smooth/Opaque Christmas Light Bulbs, $41; amazon.com

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C7

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Best For: Walkways and exterior trees

Balance C9 bulbs on the roof with smaller ones below. Frey likes lining pathways with C7s to prevent eyes from being drawn down rather than up at the whole display. Choose pure white LED bulbs for outdoor displays; they’ll have a greater impact.

Buy It: Brite Star C7 100-LightFaceted LED Pure White Light Set, $29; homedepot.com

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Battery Operated

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Best For: Wreaths and tabletop displays

Battery-operated strands are better options for decor placed far away from outlets, says Frey.

Buy It: Novolink 34 Ft. 100-Light LED Warm White Battery Operated Decorative String Light, $14; amazon.com

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C6 Colored Lights

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Best For: Anywhere that needs more light and color

Retro-style bulbs are great for hanging on trees or wrapping around porch columns. Using a 70-light strand is a cost-effective way to make a statement.

Buy It: Holiday Wonderland Christmas LED Light Set, C6, Multi, 70-Ct., $13; truevalue.com

If you’d like to consult a pro for your decorating your own home, Frey recently launched Online Holiday Design, which offers personalized DIY Christmas lighting. Send in a photo of your house, and Frey and his team will design a custom lighting display and send all the materials you’ll need to bring a magical vision to life.

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By Southern Living Editors