Christmas is just around the corner, and that means stocking up on all your favorite festive decor. For us, Christmas just can’t be called Christmas without its fair share of twinkling warm lights. LED Christmas lights are almost a household staple around the festive season, but it is perfectly natural to be a first-time buyer. If you are soon to visit the markets looking for good-quality LED Christmas lights, we have your back. Check out our LED Christmas light buying guide provided below and make things easier for you:
What Are LED Christmas Lights?
LED lights are made of light-emitting diodes that are extremely energy efficient, last longer, and stay cool to the touch. They are the more popular choice of lighting than transitional incandescent bulbs, particularly during the holiday season. The reason why LED lights are more popular is that while they do cost more upfront, they are far more efficient at using energy and can stay lit longer.
Keep in mind that while incandescent bulbs might be cheaper, they easily get hot to the touch. If not monitored, they can pose a risk of fire. Instead, you can use LED lights for your Christmas festivities, day and night.
Where Can Christmas LED Lights Be Used?
LED Christmas lights can be used in a variety of places, including homes, commercial areas, bars, hotels, etc. You can use them both indoors and outdoors to bring the Christmas charm to your property. LED lights are most popularly used to decorate the Christmas tree indoors. Alternatively, they are used on mantelpieces, rooftops, windows, bushes, fences, railings, garlands, and wreaths. The possibilities are quite literally endless!
What Are The Types of LED Christmas Lights?
LED Christmas lights are available in many different types. Here is an overview of each so you can choose the best one for your home.
String Lights
String lights are made from small LED bulbs that are placed one after the other in series, typically 10 cm apart from one another. The string of lights can be hung up around your awnings, above the windows and vanities, and is the ideal choice for Christmas tree decorations. They work just as well for small and average-sized trees, as the small lights won't overwhelm them. They come in various colors and deliver an even glow when installed, making them ideal for just about every setting.
Cluster Lights
Cluster lights, unlike string lights, feature small LED bulbs grouped closer together along a central wire. These bulbs are often spaced just about 2.5 cm apart, with the bulbs lining the top and bottom of the string. When placed up, they provide a much brighter glow than string lights alone. This makes them perfect for larger trees or outdoor decoration functions where you might want some extra shine.
However, their large size makes them unsuitable for use on smaller trees as they can easily overwhelm them. They can also be placed in your windows, mantels, along the fencing, and roof guttering.
Curtain Lights
Curtain lights are the perfect way to create a festive vibe in your indoor space while also enhancing the beauty of your surroundings. These feature LED bulbs along cascading strings, quite similar to net lights. You can drape them over your curtains to instantly shower them in a festive glow. Not just on Christmas, these lights are useful all year round for birthday parties, weddings, and housewarming.
Inflatables and Silhouettes
If you want to make your outdoor space shine brighter, you can opt for inflatables and Christmas silhouettes. These come pre-lit with energy-efficient LED lights and add a festive touch to your holiday celebrations. These come in various shapes, sometimes mimicking Santa and his elves or children's cartoons that can make a statement in your garden.
Permanent Outdoor Lights
If you are planning on exclusively getting Christmas lights for your home outdoors, we recommend investing in permanent outdoor LED lights. These Christmas lights are designed to be installed once and then left up to shine all year round. These are usually made with sturdier materials, so they are resistant to external elements. The material used is waterproofed, anti-UV, and has the ability to withstand harsh temperatures and low temperatures alike. They further come in a variety of colors so you can change the look of your property to match your unique style.
Projector Lights
LED projector lights are devices that project colors, festive patterns, and animations onto flat surfaces such as your walls or houses. If you want to skip the hassle of manually stringing up string LED lights, projector lights are the next best thing. You simply point the device at your house, and your home will be showered with festive designs. It is also the more popular choice for those who have larger homes where putting up countless strings of lights can be way too costly. Instead, a single projector light can be enough for the front of your home.
What To Consider When Buying LED Christmas Lights?
There are many factors that you must keep in mind when shopping for LED Christmas lights. These include:
Budget
Christmas shopping means not only getting gifts for your loved ones but also keeping festive decor and LED lights at the top of the list. When shopping for LED lights, keep a budget in mind.
When comparing incandescent vs LED Christmas lights, you will find that LED lights are somewhat slightly more expensive than incandescent lights but they are much more cost-efficient in the long run since they consume less energy. LED bulbs use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. By setting a budget, you can narrow down your choices. For example, if you have a wider budget, you can use curtain lights or projector lights. But if you are working with a limited budget, you can work with basic string lights or cluster lights.
Color And Brightness
The next step is to consider the color and brightness of the LED lights. If you want more festive colors, go for multicolored options and brighter LED Christmas lights. Alternatively, if you want a simpler, more refined look, you can opt for warm, white, or cool white LED light colors. Such colors are more popular in hotel guest rooms, chic restaurants, and fine dining establishments. Multicolored LEDs will always remain far superior for personal use at home.
Apart from color, you also need to consider the size of the bulbs, which will dictate their brightness when they are set up. Larger bulbs will give more light; however, smaller miniature lights simply look so much more magical. This is why larger bulbs are preferred for exterior installations that can enhance visibility from distances, whereas smaller LED bulbs are preferred for indoor usage.
Reliability
If you want to spend Christmas with twinkling LED lights that don't burn out quickly, you must choose a reliable supplier. Experimenting with new providers isn't something you should do around Christmas time. Instead, go for reputable suppliers who deliver quality-tested LED lights.
Versatility
Versatility means knowing where you will be putting up the LED lights so you can buy the best fit accordingly. The most versatile lights you will find are classic string LED lights. These can be hung up on windows and door frames, used indoors and outdoors, used to decorate Christmas trees and work just as well in residential areas as commercial homes.
In contrast, cluster lights, curtain lights, and inflatables can only be used in select settings. Therefore, it is important to understand your application needs before you head out shopping.
Waterproof And Weather-Resistant
The next thing to consider is the water and weather resistance of your LED Christmas lights. This is even more important for lighting that you are using outdoors. Weatherproof LED Christmas lights are able to withstand harsh external weather conditions such as extreme temperatures, snow, rain, winds, and ice. Such LED lights can operate just as well for long periods without showing signs of damage.
If you purchase from reliable suppliers, you will naturally get higher-quality LED Christmas lights that are designed to be water-resistant and withstand the effects of snow, ice, and rain.
Color Changing
LED Christmas lights are available in single colors but can also come in color-changing varieties. Color-changing Christmas lights incorporate bulbs that will gradually change color from one to the next for a mesmerizing effect. You can use color-changing LED lights to accentuate or brighten up your indoor spaces. Some color-changing LEDs even come with striking animations that can add visual interest. Instead of getting multiple light sets of different colors, you can create a fantastic color combination with just one string of lights.
Smart Control
Smart LED lights are the future since they allow you to manage your light settings using a remote application on your phone. Some providers even offer the color-changing features we discussed above incorporated into their smart control designs. So, you can easily choose the colors you wish to set your LED lights to from hundreds of color options. You can also select any of the premade color combinations from the provider. Smart control will also allow you to easily switch off lights and alternate between flashing patterns and control animations.
What Can You Use to Power Your LED Lights?
The next thing to consider is what you will be using to power your LED lights since these lights will be running for hours on end. No, your home power socket is not the only way. There are actually three ways you can power them.
Power Sockets
If you have easy-to-access power sockets, you can simply plug your lights in. If lighting is placed in far out-of-reach places, you can plug them in using extension cords.
However, if you are using power sockets, we recommend installing an RCD adaptor in place. A Residual Current Device or RCD will cut off the electricity supply in case of any power surges or faults to reduce the risk of fire or damage. The benefit of using your own power sockets is simply the convenience they offer. You won't have to worry about recharging or fuel refilling.
Battery Packs
If you have smaller string lights, you can easily power them using small single-celled batteries. Alternatively, you can use larger battery packs to power larger sets of LED lights. If you are running a setup in a remote location, a battery pack can be the best choice. However, according to their battery capacity, these battery packs can only offer limited power before they need replacement or recharge.
Generators
Imagine you have a power outage. In that case, you can still power up your LED lights using a handy generator. A fuel generator or a modern solar generator will work just as well. This is even handy if you plan on using these lights for an outdoor, remote setup or if you live in an area that faces power outages during the winter. Note that generators, particularly traditional fuel generators, can be noisy and will demand fuel input to operate.
Tips to Keep in Mind When Installing LED Lights
With the Christmas LED lights finally home, you can begin installing them. However, you can only fully use them if you properly install them, ensuring optimal safety measures are in place.
Always Test Your Lighting
The first step is to always test your lighting before you put it up. Plug it in and check for burned-out bulbs, blank sections, damaged wires, etc. Any sign of damage means that you should avoid putting these lights up, especially near your tree, curtains, or other flammable areas of your home. It is always best to have them replaced rather than risk burning your house down!
Testing the wires before you put them up will also help you visualize what they will look like before the final installation. Note that some LED Light providers also offer lights with changeable bulbs. So, if any bulb is damaged or burned out, you can swiftly replace it with a fresh piece.
Turn Off When Unattended
LED Christmas lights should always be switched off when unattended. This is because although LED lights produce less heat than traditional incandescent bulbs, leaving them on for extended periods can still lead to overheating. This risk is exacerbated when there is faulty wiring or surges in your connection. You want to reduce the risk of fire, especially around the holidays. This is why turning off the lights is the best approach.
Turning the lights off when you are not around will also prevent you from incurring unnecessary costs. So, turn off the lights when you head to bed or are leaving your home.
Ensure Pet and Child Safety
If you are hanging up LED Christmas lights, you need to be extra careful if you have children or pets at home. Before you hang up the lights, you should always check for worn or broken cords, loose bulb connections, or any damage. If the lights are hung on a tree, make sure they are securely attached, and there are no chances of your child tripping over wires or getting caught in the loose bulbs. Any additional cords hanging about should be tucked away or hung up away from the reach of children or pets. To avoid your pets tugging or gnawing at the wires, you can tape them down or hide the wiring as best as possible.
Use A Timer
In order to safely ensure your LED Christmas lights are not running when they are not needed, you should invest in a timer. A timer is attached to your LED lights and will switch the lights off for you. Most timers will allow you to keep the lights running for 6 hours and then turn off 18 hours automatically for each cycle. A timer will essentially allow you to switch off the lights in the event that you forget to do so and, through it, keep your home secure from the risk of fire.
Never Jumble the Cables
Avoid twisting, jumbling, or pulling the wires too harshly. Take your time while decorating and gently unravel the wires you are working with. Yanking and pulling harshly can cause damage to the wire. In the same way, when putting the Christmas LED lights away, do not stack them or coil them tightly around one another.
Avoid Running Cables Under Carpets
Don't think that the best way to hide your cables from sight is by tucking them under the carpet. Carpets trap heat, which will stop the LED bulbs from dissipating heat properly, which can lead to overheating. If the carpet fibers heat enough, they can even ignite and cause extensive damage.
Use An RCD For Protection
A Residual Current Device (RCD) is an electrical safety device that will automatically switch off the power supply to your Christmas lights when it detects an electrical fault in the line. RCDs are exceptionally sensitive to fuses and power surges and can, therefore, prevent the risk of fire or damage to your Christmas lights. Consider them an additional layer of protection that can be a lifesaver for you and your loved ones.
Avoid Moisture
When you install your outdoor LED lights, you should avoid letting your extension cord sit on the ground. Damp soil, snow, ice, or puddles can potentially damage your cables and lead to the risk of electrocution or fire. Instead, your light display should be suspended above ground, including the cords. If needed, you can use cord protectors to keep your cords safe and dry.
Our Top Picks for The Holiday Season
Christmas is just around the corner! If you haven't got your hands on the best Christmas LED lights to decorate your home, you should start now. To help you find the perfect choice, check out our top picks for the holiday season.
Yeelight Permanent Outdoor Lights
Yeelight permanent outdoor LED lights are built to withstand external elements thanks to their weather resistance and waterproof capabilities. The lights are built to withstand temperatures ranging from -4° F to 140°F, which makes them ideal not only during Christmas time but all year round. These permanent lights can also be controlled via the Yeelight app to create personalized effects. You can also choose your own lighting effect and color for the festive season. They further come with strong adhesive backing and buckles so you can firmly attach them onto any surface.
Yeelight Christmas String Lights
Our Christmas string lights are one of our best sellers, especially during the holiday season. Yeelight Christmas string lights feature over 20 different lighting effects to transform your home into a magical wonderland. Our string lights also come with individually controlled RGBIC LEDs that can be customized according to your color schemes. Choose between over 16 million colors! You can further sync the Christmas LED lights to your music for some fun holiday party time. All is made possible through the Yeelight app, which will allow you to adjust colors, switch lighting modes, and create personalized effects.
Yeelight Curtain Lights
Yeelight curtain lights make installations easier than ever. These feature 475 LED individual bulbs across a 5 ft x 6.5 ft cascading canvas. You can use these curtain lights as a backdrop for your bedroom wall and windows just about anywhere. Sync the light with the Yeelight app via Bluetooth to enjoy dynamic light shows and even sync the light effect with your music. The lights further come in over 20 different lighting effects and 170 static patterns.
Final Thoughts
Investing in LED Christmas lights is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways of giving your home a holiday makeover. When we compare regular Christmas lights vs LED, we can easily see that LED Christmas lights are way more beneficial, from safety to efficiency and eco-friendliness to versatility. String lights, curtain lights, and outdoor lights can all help create the most festive atmosphere for your home. If you are not sure where to start, use the guide we have provided above to get the perfect fit for your home this holiday season.
