How Many Christmas Lights You Need to Decorate Your Home (2024)

FAQs

How many Christmas lights do I need to decorate my house? ›

Average House: Use four strands of 32-foot mini lights, plus two strands of 14-foot mini lights, for a total of 500 lights. For C9 bulbs, you can use 10 of the 16-foot-long strands. Small House: Use four strands of 32-foot mini lights, for a total of 400 lights. For C9 bulbs, use 7 of the 16-foot-long strands.

Consider light placements: String lights along some of the most commonly decorated areas such as along walkways or driveways, over landscape plants like hedges or trees, outlining the roofline or windows and door frames or wrapped around railings or posts.

Because light strings have a maximum wattage capacity, which is why many string lights come with a little fuse just in case you connect too many together at once. The fuse is designed to blow so you don't overload and damage your Christmas lights.

A general rule is to use 100 lights for every 1.5 feet of tree. However, if you love lights, you may want to double or even triple that amount.

While the average for all homes is 67 lights, the average for single family homes is 85 lights, for multi-family homes is 25 lights, and for mobile homes is 38 lights. It's an enormous variation by type of home. A single family home averages more than three times as many lights as a multi-family home.

The cost of installing holiday lights for Christmas, Halloween, etc., varies depending on the size, design and complexity of your installation. A simple display can cost $100 to $300 for an average size home. Or it can cost more than a $1,000 to light up a large property with an elaborate display.

String lights are the most popular choice for decorating Christmas trees, house exteriors, and much more. A string light consists of multiple bulbs on a wire or string. You can find string lights with the various bulb sizes shared above, including mini lights, C7, C9, and G12 bulbs.

Don't lean far over on the ladder to add additional light clips or to attach lights. Better to use caution than to have the entire latter tip over with you on it. Don't try to untangle extension cords while you are on the ladder.

Tip 10: Don't Run Christmas Lights Through Windows Or Doors

If you don't have access to an outdoor outlet, you may find it challenging to light up your home this holiday season. Remember that you can't run Christmas lights or extension cords through windows or doors.

As more people purchased these new electrical lights that came in different colors, they also developed stereotypes. Homeowners claimed white lights reflected high-class and good taste while multi-colored lights appeared to be tacky--both of these ideas are severely outdated.

Is it better to have Christmas lights connected in series or parallel? ›

These are the reasons why new Christmas light strands are wired in parallel. Parallel wiring allows for several paths that electricity can take to get from the energy source to where the power is grounded. Even with several strings of lights connected, each string functions in parallel, not in a series.

If you have an evergreen tree, we do, in most cases leave the lights up year round. This is because the lights are not wrapped tight around the trunk and stems. Instead they are a little more loosely hung evenly around the branches and do not hurt the growth of the evergreen.

Christmas Light FAQs

The minimum number of lights for a 6-foot tree is 600 lights (or six strands of 100-bulb Christmas lights)—but you can go up to 1200 lights, depending on whether you want the lighting or the ornaments to be the star of your Christmas tree.

The most popular LED Christmas light colors are warm white or cool white and the decision for many people simply comes down to preference and color scheme. Cozy and Inviting: Warm White led lights illuminate indoor spaces with a soft glow that is most often associated with traditional mini lights.

GE String-A-Long 100-Count 20.6-ft Clear Incandescent Plug-In Christmas String Lights.

Remember you don't need to match the lighting or the colour with the rest of the home! Each room can have a different theme and ultimately a very different light. In other words, you don't need the exact same sconces in a hallway and lounge.

Formula: total sq. footage x 1.5 = total wattage needed. Total wattage divided by 60 watts (or whichever wattage you select) = total amount of recessed can lights. Example: 240 square foot room x 1.5 = 360 divided by 60 (the bulb wattage I'd like to use) = 6 recessed lights needed.

As a handy rule of thumb, a sitting room or bedroom will generally require around 10-20 lumens per square foot, while a bathroom or kitchen will need a stronger level of lighting, at around 70-80 lumens per square foot. To work out the lumens you need, simply multiply the square footage of the room by this figure.

Use a single string of lights to decorate your entrance. Outline the front door, wrap the lights around the awning and decorate the potted plants as well. You can also hang a wreath on the front door which can also feature Christmas lights.

How Many Christmas Lights To Use. When decorating your house eaves, a simple rule is to start with at least 60 feet of string lights. Add another 10 to 12 feet for every awning you plan to light.

Is it expensive to use Christmas lights? ›

But all of that holiday spirit comes at a price: In California and New Hampshire, it can add nearly $30 to your electricity bill to run lights from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

The custom goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolized Christ being the light of the world. The Christmas trees were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany.

It's OK to keep the lights on all night, as long as you're not disturbing any neighbors. But to save power, consider putting your lights on a timer. Blow-up decorations are always fun for kids, but be careful where you place them in your yard.

If Christmas lights are left on for too long, they can get hot and become a fire hazard. For this reason, turn your lights off when you go to sleep or leave your home, says Sharon Cooksey, fire safety educator at Kidde.

The most common days to take down Christmas lights are January 2 and January 6. The Epiphany on January 6 marks the final day of the 12 days of Christmas. The Epiphany is celebrated in the Christian calendar as the day the three wise men came to visit Christ's birthplace.

While hanging tree lights horizontally is most common, many top decorating experts recommend installing your lights from the bottom to the top.

Plug in the lights to make sure all the bulbs are working. Starting at the top of the tree, intertwine the lights on top of and under branches. Work your way down and around the tree, hanging lights in the back as well. When you reach the bottom, hide any extra lights behind the tree.

White lights add ambiance.

"White lights add such a subtle glimmer and magical quality to holiday decorating. Colorful lights just seem to overpower a tree or a room and take away from the other festive elements."

Debate Answer: Follow Your Heart

Georgia's Christmas Lights Etc reported to The New York Times that 70 percent of the lights they sell are white.

How often should Christmas lights be replaced? ›

Holiday lights, like a lot of things in your home, require maintenance and regular replacement. Do you know the life span of your lights? Incandescent bulbs should be replaced every 4-6 years. LED lights last a bit longer, for 7-10 years.

Two bulbs in a simple parallel circuit each enjoy the full voltage of the battery. This is why the bulbs in the parallel circuit will be brighter than those in the series circuit. Another advantage to the parallel circuit is that if one loop is disconnected, then the other remains powered.

The answer is that the lights are connected in series but the bulbs have a trick. Let's take a closer look at one of the light bulbs in the strand. A shunt wire (bypass wire) in a Christmas light.

Most standard 120-volt household circuits in your home are (or should be) parallel circuits. Outlets, switches, and light fixtures are wired in such a way that the hot and neutral wires maintain a continuous circuit pathway independent from the individual devices that draw their power from the circuit.

Although Christian groups reportedly disagree over which date is the correct one, tradition dictates that the Twelfth Night is the best time to take down your festive decorations — including your tree. The date falls on January 5 or January 6, depending on whether or not you count Christmas as day one.

In fact, many, like the iTwinkle Lights by GE, were only intended for around 90 days of use, per year, max. Cords can dry out and crack when exposed, long-term, to the elements and can cause shorts in the wires or electrocutions when touched. Worn wires can also cause a fire hazard.

We recommend as a guide you use approx 30 lights per foot in height of your Christmas Tree. For example, a 4ft. Christmas tree should have 120 Christmas tree lights, 5ft. tree 150 lights, 6ft tree 180 lights and a 7ft tree 210 lights.

A standard rule is 100-150 lights for every foot-and-a-half of tree, so, here's an easy guide for the most popular tree sizes: 6 foot artificial Christmas trees: between 400 and 600 lights. 7 foot artificial Christmas trees: between 500 and 700 lights. 8 foot artificial Christmas trees: between 600 and 800 lights.

For a basic look our number one rule is at least 100 bulbs per 1ft of tree – so that would mean a 6ft tree needs a minimum of 600 LEDs. For a fuller look, you can add as many lights as you want but we recommend upwards of 700 for a 6ft tree.

Mini lights — your quintessential Christmas tree lights — are the most popular. C6, C7 and C9 bulbs are strawberry-shaped and the most traditional of Christmas lights. They range in size from 3/4 inch to 1-1/4 inches in diameter.

Should I get warm or cool Christmas lights? ›

If you love soft light, the warm white LED Christmas lights may be your best bet. Although you have a variety of colors to choose between, white is a good choice. The best benefit of choosing a warm white LED light is that they won't cause your eyes pain. The lighting won't be too harsh on your eyes.

White lights are the most traditional color. Those who like to be among friends and family during work and celebrations will prefer white lights and Christmas decorations. White affiliated with innocence, purity, and equality.

So, how much electricity do Christmas lights use? Your display size and choice of bulbs, whether incandescent or LED, will influence your energy bill the most. For example, a 100-count string of incandescent mini lights runs at 40 watts, while a 70 count of 5mm Wide Angle LEDs is approximately 4.8 watts total.

You need to measure the length and width of your patio space, add those together, and multiply by 2. That will give you the total perimeter and total length of lights you need. Simple. However, this will give you the length you need if you want your string lights to be taut.

If you're looking at a strand of 100-light C9 LED lights at 4.8 watts, it will cost you about 12 cents, while a 25-light strand of C9 incandescent lights at 175 watts costs about $4.41.

You need to measure the length and width of your patio space, add those together, and multiply by 2. That will give you the total perimeter and total length of lights you need. Simple. However, this will give you the length you need if you want your string lights to be taut.

— When it comes to Christmas lights, Clark Griswold has nothing on an Upstate New York family's nearly 700,000 bulbs. The Gay family, of the Hudson Valley, proudly holds the Guinness World Record for the most lights on a residential property.

Cord Socket Size - When it comes to the socket base size, you can choose between C7 or C9. For most structural perimeter lighting, C9s are the most commonly used. If lighting displays or small structures, then C7s work well.

So, while these homeowners could safely plug 144 strands into one 15-amp outlet in terms of total wattage, the connected lights should never go higher than 210 watts, meaning that only 21 total strands can actually be plugged into each other.

How can I make my house feel more Christmassy? ›

Candles are undoubtedly one of the best ways to set the mood over the holiday period. The aromatic scents of cinnamon, pine, and berries invoke the festive spirit into your home. Placing individual candles in your windows and around your home is the perfect way to create a cosy feel.

1st December

The beginning of December is a popular choice, with many households decorating their home for Christmas at the start of the most festive month to mark the official countdown.

Each light strand is 22.42 ft. long, including an 18 in. lead cord, 2.5 in. spacing and a 3.5 in.

GE String-A-Long incandescent 5-mm miniature 100-count gold light set. 3-Inch lead wire, 2.5-inch lamp spacing, 3-inch end connector, 20.6-feet lighted length, and green cord with fused plug. Available only at Lowe's.

These lights are typically meant to be less bright than their security counterparts, and thus require the use of bulbs that emit less lumens. String lights will usually emit fewer lumens than a wall light, as they're meant to be bright but at the same time dimmer than most lights to create the desired ambiance.