As we’re edging closer and closer to the festive season, it’s about time to start thinking about your Christmas decor for this year – including your favourite Christmas lights. Getting out the lights is best to do sooner rather than later, but if you’re not quite sure what styles to go for, our round-up of the best Christmas lights should provide plenty of inspiration.
While you can put off putting up your best artificial Christmas tree and Christmas ornaments for a little while longer, the time for lights is now as the days are quickly getting shorter and darker. And certain styles of lights can work just as well in the autumn, creating a cosy ambiance at home, as they do during Christmas time.
We love decorating with Christmas lights here at Ideal Home – they just instantly inject a whimsical festive spirit into any room. Not to mention that it’s the easiest way to include some Christmas decor into a space – and the perfect budget Christmas decorating idea. Just get a set of Christmas lights and you’re all set for the festive season.
The best Christmas lights for 2024
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Best Christmas lights
If you’re looking to add a festive touch to your mantelpiece then a light-up wire star decoration will do the trick. This John Lewis star light is subtle yet stylish, and it comes in two different sizes for you to choose from. Or you can also go for both and display them next to each other. While there are different colourways available, we’re particularly taken with the gold variation - as are many others. This Christmas light design is currently one of the top selling designs on the John Lewis site. So better be quick!
The White Company is one of the best places to buy affordable ‘quiet luxury’ Christmas decorations, and these mistletoe fairy lights prove it. Featuring 38 bulbs and a metal wire with mistletoe decoration, they’re so much cooler than your average fairy lights. They’ll look stunning wrapped around your tree, on your Christmas tablescape, or hanging atop your fireplace - just in time for Santa’s arrival.
If you were just as entranced by Stacey Solomon’s magical Harry Potter ceiling last year as we were, you might want to replicate this look yourself this Christmas. To do this, you’ll need some magical floating candles - like these Dunelm ones! Not only are the nylon strings almost invisible, but this pack of 10 even comes with a remote control so you can activate the flickering flames. All you need to do now is decide where you want to suspend them.
Do you love Christmas baubles? Do you love Christmas lights? If you answered ‘yes’ to both of those questions, you’ll love this bauble garland from M&S. Not only does it come in four different colourways (including silver, gold, red, and multi), but the integral LED lights also bring an extra sparkle to the garland. In our humble opinion, we think this garland will be the perfect addition to your mantlepiece or your bannisters. But with several of the colourways selling out, you must be fast to snap these up! We’re just hoping for a restock happening soon.
Natural, wooden Christmas decorations like these string lights with star-shaped ornaments are going to be all the rage this year. They fit both into the Scandi Christmas tree trend and the rustic cottagecore decorating style. At just £5, they’re an absolute bargain and are great for those who favour a more pared-back approach to Christmas decorating.
Lights4fun is one of our favourite destinations for all things Christmas lights. Specialising in this type of product, the brand never disappoints - whether you want something unique or more traditional like this curtain light adorned with little star-shaped LED lights. Decorating your windows for the festive season in style can be tricky - but not with the vertically hanging strings of curtain lights. A design like this makes the task at hand a joy.
The limit does not exist when it comes to fairy lights. Especially over Christmas! And if you’re after some budget fairy lights that don’t break the bank, Amazon has always got your back. This pack comes with 600 bulbs and spans 41.9 metres, meaning you can deck out a whole room with fairy lights if you really want to. You can also choose from warm white, bright white, and multi-coloured.
As already mentioned, certain styles of Christmas lights can easily transition from autumn to the festive season - simple festive lights are the perfect example. But no light design does it better than these Cox & Cox string lights adorned with glass mushrooms. Decorating with mushrooms is one of the biggest Christmas decor trends for 2024 - so this design bringing an autumnal motif into a winter holiday is right on trend.
Want to give your windows some love this Christmas? This hanging curtain is perfect for brightening up your room while also brightening up the outside of your house, too. As well as offering 12 hanging moons and stars, this curtain also offers 8 different lighting settings to choose from - so you can tailor the brightness and the twinkle to your own needs and requirements. Plus, this curtain even has a timer.
Where to shop for the best Christmas lights
Got a specific twinkly style in mind? If our top picks above haven't made your Christmas dreams come true, then this is our round-up of the best places to shop for Christmas lights.
- Amazon Christmas lights
- Argos Christmas lights
- ASDA Christmas lights
- Dunelm Christmas lights
- Cox & Cox Christmas lights
- Homebase Christmas lights
- John Lewis Christmas lights
- Lights4Fun Christmas lights
- Marks & Spencer Christmas lights
- Next Christmas lights
- The White Company Christmas lights
- Wayfair Christmas lights
How to choose the best Christmas lights
If you’re on the hunt for the best Christmas lights, but you’re not sure how to choose the best of the best, there are a few questions you can ask yourself:
Do they fit your aesthetic? Christmas decorations are extremely subjective. While some people go bold and mish-mash, there are others who like everything to match their home decor perfectly. Because of this, you need to ask yourself whether the Christmas lights fit your aesthetics and your dreams for your festive home.
How are they operated? Indoor Christmas lights normally fall into two categories: mains-powered or battery-operated. This will rarely change the aesthetic or the look of the lights, but they may affect how practical they are - and, of course, the price. While mains-powered lights will up your energy bills, battery-operated lights will require you to buy batteries (unless the lights come with batteries included).
It’s also important to note that battery-operated Christmas lights will also be portable, whereas mains-powered Christmas lights are restricted to being near a plug socket. So, think about where you want to put the lights and decide from there.
Can they be used indoors and outdoors? It’s highly likely that you’re going to buy more Christmas decorations before the big day arrives, which is why opting for Christmas lights that can be used indoors and outdoors can be a great advantage. This way, you can move them in and around the house without having to commit to using them inside the house. Of course, if you’re confident that you won’t want to put them outside, there’s no need to buy Christmas lights that can also be used outside.
Do they have a timer? Timers are extremely handy when the festive months come around. By placing your Christmas lights on a timer, you can make sure that your energy bills don’t suffer too much. Many Christmas lights now come with these timers as standard, but some don’t. So, you may need to buy one separately.
How much are they? Christmas is a time to celebrate with your loved ones and enjoy some much-needed rest, which is why many people save up all year to spend lots of money on presents and decorations during this time of the year. However, we’d always suggest setting yourself a budget when it comes to Christmas lights. While we wouldn’t encourage you to buy the cheapest options on the market (as the quality might reflect the price), we also wouldn’t encourage you to spend too much. After all, you’ll only be using them for a few weeks.
FAQs
Which type of Christmas lights are best?
'The best Christmas lights are easy to use and install, durable so they can be brought out year after year, efficient so they cost little to run, and offer handy additions such as a timer, remote control operation and different lighting functions,' says Claire Bassett, head of product at Lights4fun.
It’s generally considered that Christmas lights with LED bulbs are the best, as these are more energy efficient and higher quality. In fact, they last considerably longer than alternatives, which will allow you to use your Christmas lights year after year.
You also need to consider the colour of these bulbs. In our humble opinion, warm lights create the cosy ambience many people are looking for when it comes to the best Christmas lights. However, there are others who prefer the ice-white bulbs reminiscent of a winter scene.
'In terms of the Christmas light colours that look best, you can never go wrong with a classic warm white light, adding the desired glow whilst creating a cosy, festive atmosphere,' says Marlena Kaminska, designer at ValueLights. 'Cool-toned white lights also work and stand out against the dark Christmas nights, but we find the warmer tones tend to tie in with the more traditional Christmas colours of red, green and touches of gold.'
Are LED Christmas lights worth it?
Yes, LED Christmas lights are truly worth it – especially if you want to save a bit of money over the Christmas period. While LED Christmas lights use considerably less energy than alternatives on the market, they don’t scrimp on quality.
'LED bulbs are a great choice when it comes to your Christmas lights,' says Anthony Formisano, product manager at home and garden lighting firm and smart light specialists 4lite. 'Not only are they energy-efficient, which is increasingly important during the busy holiday season, but they also offer impressive brightness and a long lifespan, ensuring your display is nothing short of spectacular.'
If you want to fill your house with festive cheer this Christmas, the best Christmas lights are definitely the way to go.
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