The Best Outdoor Christmas Lights for Bringing Holiday Cheer to Your Yard
When it comes to recognizable differences signaling the onset of the festive season, there’s surely no better indicator than the appearance of outdoor Christmas lights. Think about it. Few occasions bring on the festive-season feeling better than returning home in the dark to a street filled with the best outdoor Christmas lights, whether that’s eave-mounted, multicolored lights, a twinkling reindeer or even a lit-up Santa making his way to the chimney.
There’s a lot of scope when choosing the best outdoor Christmas lights for your home. While some people believe the more, the merrier, others prefer a more tailored feel with lights strategically placed where they make the most impact. Whatever your preference, here are some of the key factors to consider when picking the right Christmas lights for you.
Color – One of the biggest decisions is choosing between white, warm white and colored lights. However, not every light set requires you to make this decision, as some smart lights are capable of producing both white and colored light.
Size – The size of the bulbs on display can make a big difference to the effectiveness and attractiveness of your outside Christmas light display. If you’re going to be mounting your lights higher up or further away, you may want to consider larger bulbs in your light sets.
Arrangement – Your chosen arrangement will depend a lot on where you want to display your lights. Here are some of the common light arrangement types you can choose from:
- String
- Net
- Icicle/Rain
- Curtain
- Shaped
- Projector
- Spotlight
Once you’ve considered which lights will meet your needs the best, take a look at our top 11 picks for the best outdoor Christmas lights, and find the right choice for you to make this Christmas time the best it can be.
1. SkrLights Vintage Christmas String Lights
BEST OVERALL
For decorators who love mounting brightly colored bulbs around their eaves, there’s no better choice than these SkrLights Vintage Christmas String Lights. The 25-foot string includes 25 individual lights which can be either multicolored or clear, depending on your preference. Each bulb fitting holds an easily removable E12 bulb which, should it blow out, can be replaced with ease and in a matter of seconds. To accommodate all home sizes, it’s easy to join up to three strings together to create a 75-foot Christmas behemoth. In addition to eaves, these versatile lights can be used in a range of other around-the-yard locations, including over trees, fences, walls and bushes.
Buy: SkrLights Vintage Christmas String Lights $16.99
2. Home Accents Holiday Multi-Color Net Lights
BEST BUDGET
These Home Accents Holiday Multi-Color Net Lights make it easy to turn drab bushes, fences and shrubbery into light-filled focal points. Each of the 150 UL-approved, multicolor mini lights is mounted on a net measuring 48 by 72 inches, which makes installation quick and simple. You can also use these weather-resistant lights indoors should you want to and, because of the smart design, should one bulb go out, the others will still remain lit.
3. Twinkle Star Meteor Shower Rain Lights
BEST SHOWER EFFECT
For that attractive snow falling effect, there are few better options than these Twinkle Star Meteor Shower Rain Lights. These well-reviewed, IP44-waterproof lights come in a choice of blue, purple, multicolor and white and are made up of eight 11.8-inch long tubes, each separated by 14 inches of wire. These lights are an ideal choice for decorating eaves, fences and trees, and should one set not be enough, you can connect multiple lengths together to increase their reach.
Buy: Twinkle Star Meteor Shower Rain Lights $14.99
4. Twinkle Star Fairy String Lights
TWINKLY PICK
If you love that twinkly look, the Twinkle Star Fairy String Lights could be the right choice for you. These lights are available in a range of different colors, including blue, orange and white as well as a rather Christmassy, multicolored option, too. As the 200 LED lights span a length of 66 feet, there’s plenty of flexibility to cover trees, fences and bushes. These versatile lights can also be used indoors or outdoors and offer eight different lighting modes for you to choose from using the built-in button. Options include slow glow, chasing flash and steady on.
Buy: Twinkle Star Fairy String Lights $17.99
5. Magictec LED Curtain String Light
BEST CURTAIN
The Magictec LED Curtain String Light makes it possible to create a beautiful curtain of warm white light. No matter whether you choose to wrap it around a tree, drape it on your fence or hang it from a wall in your home, you’ll love the Christmassy glow it produces. The top string measures 6.6 feet and hangs 300 LED lights in the curtain which can be set to your choice of eight different lighting modes using the built-in controller.
Buy: Magictec LED Curtain String Light $15.95
6. Lomotech LED Connectable Christmas Net Lights
BEST FOR HEDGES
The Lomotech LED Connectable Christmas Net Lights are an easy way to cover your yard with a hard-to-miss festive glow. This 360-LED light net measures 12 by five feet and can be connected with up to two other sets for an impressively large blanket to cover hedges, treetops, walls and other parts of your yard. It’s also available in a range of different colors, including blue, warm whtie and multicolored. Furthermore, the net includes a built-in timer function and a memory function for greater convenience during use.
Buy: Lomotech LED Connectable Christmas Net Lights $31.99
7. Lyhope LED Net Decorative Lights
BEST MESH
At 12 by five feet, these Lyhope LED Net Decorative Lights provide plenty of cover for bushes, fences and other items in your yard. They offer eight different lighting modes as well as a memory function which remembers your choice, even when the lights are switched off and on again. Your choice includes multiple colors and combinations, including multicolored, plain red, plain white and even a white, red and blue combination. You can also choose to use this waterproof net inside your home.
Buy: Lyhope LED Net Decorative Lights $27.99
8. KiflyTooin Led Icicle Lights
BEST ICICLE
With either multicolored or warm white color options, over 400 lights and 75 drops per string, the KiflyTooin Led Icicle Lights are a fun and eye-catching way to decorate the outside of your home this Christmas. For convenience, the IP44-rated lights include a built-in timer and also offer eight different lighting modes, allowing you to match your lights to your mood of the moment. Plus, at 32 feet long, the lights will cover plenty of space. However, it is possible to join the lights to additional strings should you need to.
Buy: KiflyTooin Led Icicle Lights $36.99
9. OUTYLTS Christmas String Lights
BEST STRING LIGHTS
The OUTYLTS Christmas String Lights are a traditional and solid choice for your home. They’re available in three different colors, namely cold white, traditional white and multicolor, allowing you to choose the right style for your Christmas display. Each string includes 300 lights which are all IP55 rated, meaning they are capable of dealing with rain and harsh weather conditions, and they’re safe for indoor and outdoor use. This 108-foot string of lights is also capable of eight lighting modes that include twinkle, slow fade, steady on and flash.
Buy: OUTYLTS Christmas String Lights $26.99
10. Opticore Multicolor Commercial Christmas Lights
BEST COOL TO TOUCH
Ideal for decorating trees, fences and eaves, these Opticore Multicolor Commercial Christmas Lights just scream Christmas. They’re available in strings ranging from 25 to 100 bulbs, each of which is made from a thick and durable polycarbonate which is 200 times stronger than glass. When on, the lights are also cool to touch, and should one string fall short, it’s safe and easy to connect multiple strings together to get the job done. Additionally, the lights are parallel wired, meaning that if one bulb goes out, the rest remain on.
Buy: Opticore Multicolor Commercial Christmas Lights $59.99
11. XMCOSY+ Outdoor String Lights
BEST APP CONTROLLED
If your home is already crammed full of smart gadgets, it’s surely time to add another to the list. These advanced XMCOSY+ Outdoor String Lights can be controlled using your smartphone through the XMcosy app or even using your voice with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This control allows you to customize your lights and choose between one color or multicolor displays. The lights are also wind, snow and rain-proof and made from a PVC material which is both safer and more durable than glass.
Buy: XMCOSY+ Outdoor String Lights $79.99
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