Night Bright


These days putting up holiday lights—whether it's to celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, New Year's or the winter solstice—means sorting through all kinds of colors and configurations. Do you want white lights or a rainbow of colors? How about bulb size—as big as an egg or as small as a grain of rice? Do you want the light to strobe or stay steady? Below we review some holiday lighting options to help you sort through your choices.

String lights — Festive for any occasion, string lights are available with just about any covering over the bulb, from paper lanterns and plastic flamingos to brass stars and tin umbrellas. Ideal to display inside or out, you can find both battery- and AC-powered string lights.

Rope lights — Interior designers are familiar with rope lights because they are often used to provide accent lighting, including under cabinet, deck or staircase illumination. More and more, people use them for holiday decorations—to drape across window sills, doors and shrubbery. Unlike string lights, rope lights aren't individual bulbs but long flexible tubes filled with micro-watt bulbs. You can choose from a wide variety of bulb and tube colors. Typically the light displays steady illumination but you can also find versions that blink at different rates. Look for rope lights rated for 20,000 hours of use.

Icicle lights — Hung from eaves, fences and railings, icicle lights provide dramatic illumination. The obvious benefit: you don't have to spend hours arranging them, as the bulbs are already organized into icicle shapes and tightly spaced. Be sure that the brand you buy displays the approved UL mark, a sign it's been evaluated to be safe.

Net lights — Like icicle lights, net lights are popular because there's no fussing or arranging—simply toss the net over a bush or wrap around a tree trunk and you're done. As with icicle lights, be sure to look for the UL mark of approval. In fact, any time you have hundreds of tightly packed bulbs you want to take extra precautions.

Light displays — A relative newcomer on residential streets, light displays organize lights around a scene (say, a gingerbread house) or objects (anything from penguins to candy canes). Typically light displays come with the lights already attached; you simply assemble the frame and it's ready for use. Look for commercial grade miniature lights rated for long-term use (upwards of 3,000 hours).