If you have been to a hardware store or any of the top online Christmas lights dealers recently, you’ve probably discovered there are more lighting options available to choose from than ever before. The market for Christmas lights has expanded considerably and, as a result, consumers are enjoying increased selection.
If you hope for this year to feature your most dazzling Christmas lights display to date, then you will need to do a considerable amount of planning in advance. Even in a world with plenty of choices, it can be easy to mistakenly install the wrong Christmas lights in your home.
Most of the world’s top Christmas light outlets will happily answer your questions and help you discover which varieties of lights will be best for your home. But even if you are trying to make all of these decisions on your own, there are still quite a few things that can be done to narrow down your final options.
In this article, we will discuss ten of the most important things to think about when shopping for energy efficient Christmas lights. Even if you are an experienced shopper, keeping these crucial details in mind will still be very important.
- The Benefits of LED Christmas Lights
For decades, the market for Christmas lights was dominated by fluorescents and incandescents. However, due to incredible developments in lighting technologies, the market has considerably changed. Today, both professional and non-professional Christmas decorators are discovering the benefits of LED Christmas lights.
LED lights have an advanced light-to-heat energy ratio, which leaves a smaller carbon footprint and also helps reduce your energy bills. These lights are also quite durable, affordable, and easily adapted. Unsurprisingly, most newly made Christmas lights are of the LED variety.
- Bulb Size
Before making any final purchases, it will be important to consider the ideal bulb size for your Christmas display. The wrong bulbs can cause a display to feel awkward or, in some cases, incomplete.
- Small bulbs are ideal for indoor displays—such as Christmas trees, bannisters, and wreaths—where brightness is not as important as aesthetics.
- Large bulbs are ideal for outdoor displays, large professional displays, or any displays that are likely to be viewed from more than 10 yards away.
Most Christmas light suppliers will happily guide you to the appropriate sized bulbs. They will also help distinguish between bulb types that are very similar to one another (such as C6, C7, and C9 LED lights).
- Color of the Lights
Naturally, one of the first things that you will notice about an LED Christmas light display is the specific color of the lights. The color of lights that will make the most sense for your display will depend on your desired themes and personal preferences.
Red and green LED Christmas lights are typically the best sellers, though there are plenty of other lighting combinations that are in high demand as well. Some LED Christmas light suppliers will even give you the option to choose your own patterns.
- Color of the Cords
While many shoppers recognize the importance of color when it comes to their lights, the color of their cords is a detail that is often overlooked. The most common LED light cords will be green, white, and black. Green is ideal for trees and bushes, white is ideal for lights near a wall or ceiling, and black is ideal for lights that may have many different uses.
- Intended Use
LED lights can be utilized in many different settings, meaning it will be important to clarify your intended use before making any final purchases. For example, someone who is decorating their Christmas tree will have someone who is in charge of designing a commercial display. The intended use of your lights will directly impact overall costs, bulk discounts, and the feasibility of using special lighting features.
- Number of Available Outlets
Creating any type of Christmas display will require you to carefully think about the logistics involved. Over time, even highly experienced Christmas decorators have envisioned a grandiose display, only to discover that the display was not workable. While today’s top LED light brands can be linked together up to 40 times from a single outlet, accounting for the distribution and availability of outlets is very important.
- Additional Lighting Accessories
In order to make the theme of your Christmas display more complete, you may want to consider purchasing additional lighting accessories. LED silhouette lights, snowflake lights, and fairy lights are a few of the lighting accessories readily available. Though these accessories will usually cost a bit more than an ordinary sting of lights, they can certainly help you create the exact sort of aesthetic you’ve been hoping for.
- Need for Easy Replacement
As is the case with most things, having durable LED Christmas lights requires a larger investment upfront. Fortunately, however, the lights that are the most durable are also among the easiest to replace. If you are hoping to build a display that is adaptable and easy to adjust, then investing a little more capital up front will inevitably be worth the effort.
- Possible Years of Use
Most people who are purchasing Christmas lights are hoping to have lights they can use again in the future. Though there is no telling what the future may have in store—for example, you may want to have an even more elaborate display next year—planning ahead will always pay off. LED Christmas lights have longer bulb life than most alternatives, which is why they are so popular among the industry’s most forward thinkers.
- Online LED Christmas Light Retailers
Lastly, when planning your future Christmas display, you will also need to think about where your lights will be purchased from. While going to a hardware store, holiday store, or various other “in person” locations will have its fair share of benefits, shopping online will likely help you save the greatest amount of money.
Online LED Christmas light suppliers traditionally have the best deals for both professionals and non-professional Christmas decorators. If you are hoping to save even more on LED lights, then consider buying in bulk or making a purchase during the non-busy season (towards the beginning of the year). The best suppliers will also feature a reasonable return policy.
Conclusion
If you are in the midst of planning an epic holiday lighting display, you clearly have a lot on your plate to be thinking about. By using this guide and following your instincts, you will be able to easily find the lights that are right for you. The illuminating magic you’ve been searching for is well within your reach.