9 Types Of Christmas Lights And Which Is Best For Your Decor

Few decorations capture the holiday season's aesthetic like the soft, sparkling glow of Christmas lights. With so many options available on store shelves today, choosing the right type of light for your holiday decor vision can be overwhelming and confusing. Each type of light creates a different visual effect that works best in its certain setting. Some are electrical, while others are battery-powered, which dictates where they can be used.

From classic string lights to delicate fairy lights, all of these Christmas lights are designed to make your home sparkle inside and out. Whether you're planning minimalist, modern living room decor or planning an outdoor display so dazzling that it stops traffic, understanding the strengths of each type can help you decorate more intentionally and beautifully. We break down nine Christmas lights you should know about and explain when and where to use them so you can decide what's best for your decor.

String lights are classic, versatile strands of cord that you've seen decorating home exteriors and interiors alike. These lights come in a variety of bulb sizes and shapes, including mini, large, and wide-angle. String lights are ideal for wrapping around anything you want to highlight or illuminate. Use them to decorate your roofline, Christmas trees, stair railings, and porch columns. Remember that they're electric, so you'll need a nearby outlet.

Fairy lights are similar to string lights. Both lights come on a wire strand, but fairy lights differ in size and bulb type. Fairy lights have small LED lights attached to a thin, flexible metal wire. Though they're small, they're often very bright. Their brightness, coupled with their adaptable nature, makes them a great choice for decorating small accents like wreaths and garlands. You can also use fairy lights to create decor pieces, such as lit mason jars. Most fairy lights are battery-powered, but some do come with plug adapters. 

Large bulb lights, such as C7 and C9 styles, evoke a sense of nostalgia. Christmas lights of this shape are commonly multicolored and sold on string lights. Because they're so large and bright, they work well for home exteriors and large outdoor trees. However, if you really want to lean into the traditional Christmas light look, large bulb lights look great on smaller indoor trees as well.

Icicle lights are string lights with lit offshoots that flow downward, mimicking the appearance of icicles and turning your home into a winter wonderland. These lights typically come in white and icy blues to achieve that holiday look, but they're also available in other colors for something more whimsical. Naturally, they look best adorning rooflines and fences. Icicle lights are electrically powered, so you will need to have an outlet nearby.

Net lights are like an outdoor decorating cheat code. As the name suggests, net lights are string lights that come woven together into a grid or net pattern. This makes it easy to drape them over hedges and trees, turning your landscape into a vibrant display. They come in a variety of sizes and colors to make your decor vision a reality.

If you prefer decorating with a bold, solid border of color and light, rope lights are exactly what you're looking for. Rope lights consist of evenly spaced incandescent or LED bulbs encased in flexible PVC tubing, making them easy to wind around indoor and outdoor structures. They typically come in half-inch and 3/8-inch diameter ropes, so you can choose the size that's appropriate for your project. This type of light is perfect for bordering rooflines and windows, illuminating pathways, and lighting up doorways. 

Decorating your home with any type of light can be a hassle. It's time-consuming and even dangerous when tall ladders are involved. If that's not your idea of fun this holiday season, a light show projector might be the right choice for you. Plug one in, and it will project a breathtaking display onto your home's exterior. These projectors can display a variety of colors and festive patterns, so there's still room for a little creativity.

Pathway lights fill the gaps where traditional lights can't go. You have a lot of decor freedom with these lights. They're positioned on stakes so you can place them anywhere in your yard, and they come in endless styles, from bulbs to candy canes. Pathway lights are commonly powered by electricity or solar power, so you can choose which suits you best. Plug-in lights offer more consistent lighting, while solar-powered models are easy and energy-efficient.