DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Christmas lights are, for many, an important aspect of the holiday season. Nothing says Christmas like the look of a brightly-lit pine tree or a festive house adorned with beautiful lights and decorations. There are many lights to choose from when purchasing Christmas lights. In recent years color offerings of Christmas lights have changed dramatically. While the traditional blue, green, yellow and red is still popular, one can now find purple, pink, soft white or orange. As well, light shapes have never been more interesting. In the past people were mainly limited to bubble, large, or mini Christmas lights. Now many shapes can have you decking your halls in unique ways. For some people the variety of Christmas lights we offer can be a bit overwhelming. That's why we are here to help you understand the different types of Christmas lights.
Indoor and Outdoor Christmas Light bulbs that are marked "outdoor only" should not be used indoors, as they may burn quite hot, which could result in a fire. Bulbs that are marked "indoor only" are generally not durable or strong enough to survive the conditions outdoors, especially if they are being used in a location that has a harsh climate. Buyers are advised to check the product carefully before buying to ensure that they are getting the lights that are right for the use that they have in mind.
LED Lights are now offered in a variety of sizes and colors. LED Christmas lights use a semi-conductor to brighten up the tree or the inside or outside of the home. LEDs come in mini lights, round shapes, and large pointed varieties, and they are more expensive in the onset. However, most people recoup their losses in extra expense on LEDs, particularly if they light their tree regularly. Also, LED Christmas lights do not get hot and thus pose less fire danger than do regular mini-lights. They are slightly less bright, but can be connected to regular light strands as they connect end to end. Some say that the white lights do not mimic the brightness and glow of mini white lights. This can be addressed by buying a soft yellow or cream LED set instead.
Solar Christmas Lights are very good for the environment, and are very cost-effective in the long run, but can be quite pricey upfront. Also, they are generally not as bright as electric-powered lights, especially if the winter is dark and cloudy.
Different Types of Christmas Lights To Choose From:
 Mini Lights | The Christmas mini light is the most traditional of all the Christmas light bulb styles. The bulb style is attractive because it is small and brilliant, and it works well with LED lights as it diffuses the highly directional LED light very efficiently. Mini lights are great as Christmas tree lights, and for wrapping outdoor trees, railings and other decorative applications where a smaller and brilliant light is desired. |
 5MM Wide Angle | Though small in size (and also called "rice lights"), the 5mm bulb evenly distributes LED light in all directions. The style produces the most consistent light output, which is not affected by the angle from which the light is observed. Recommended for indoor and outdoor displays for Christmas trees, wrapping trees, or other applications where bright, even light distribution is important. This shape bulb is approximately the size of an eraser head on a pencil and is a great alternative to traditional mini Christmas lights. |
 G12 Raspberry | The G12 raspberry Christmas light is a small, faceted, globe-shaped bulb that is similar in size to a small raspberry. It is approximately ½” long and ½” in diameter. The light produced by the G12 is only slightly more diffuse than the light output of our Christmas mini lights. The slightly larger, rounded bulb softens the impact of the light only slightly while enhancing and completing the light output distribution. G12 raspberry light is a good choice for indoor or outdoor displays that will be viewed at close distances by observers and where a well-balanced, bright, and diffuse light source is desired. |
 C5 Lights | C5 LED Christmas lights have the same strawberry or cone shape as our popular C6 style Christmas lights but they are slightly smaller. The C5 lights use the same faceted style bulb cover or lens as our C6 but the C5 bulb cover is placed over a smaller wide angle lens so the C5 does a good job of evenly diffusing the directional LED light which is a problem with many C-style LED bulbs. C5s are a great choice for decorating Christmas tree. |
 C6 Lights | The C6 strawberry light is a much smaller version of the larger traditional C9 Christmas light. While much smaller than a C9 or C7 size Christmas light and consuming 99% less energy, the C6 strawberry light is quite bright and will not disappoint. The decorative, faceted lens does a good job of softening and diffusing the LED light for an attractive glowing appearance. These features make the C6 a great choice for indoor displays, entryway displays or other locations where the observers will be in close physical proximity to the display. |
 C7 Lights | The C7 Christmas lights are a popular choice for the old school holiday enthusiast. The smaller C7 bulb is less than 2 inches (1.29") tall, has a diameter of less than 1 inch (.86")and is noticeably larger than our C6 Christmas lights. The C7 (E12 base) replacement bulbs utilize 3 high power LEDs per bulb. The C7 and C9 have a light or lumen output which is comparable to incandescent. C7 bulbs are great for large outdoor trees, building outlines, roof lines, and eaves. |
 C9 Lights | Replacing your old incandescent C9s with LED retrofit bulbs will give you instant savings. Our C9 retrofit bulbs consume only .96 watts per bulb which is 99% less than incandscent. Using 5 high powered LEDs, they are similar in brightness to incandescent C9 lamps so you don't have to worry about dealing with cheap under-powered replacements. Upgrading your C9 bulbs to LED with these is easy: simply remove your old bulbs and screw these into your existing socket wire. |
 Net Lights | Looking for an easy way to decorate bushes or shrubs for the holidays? LED net lights are the best and easiest type of Christmas lights for bushes. It is a great way to decorate bushes and create a uniform light pattern. Net lights, as the name indicates, are standard Christmas lights configured in a net-like pattern so they can easily be draped over bushes and shrubs. Some serious decorators also use our net lights to cover their roofs completely with lights. |
 Icicle Lights | Icicle lights are a classic holiday decorating tool. Icicle style Christmas lights are most commonly used to decorate roof lines or eaves of homes to create the effect of dandling icicles. Our LED icicle lights have a horizontal main wire with icicle "drops" of varying lengths to create the traditional icicle effect. In addition to their traditional use, icicle lights are also great for decoration decks, gazebos, atriums and dining halls or convention centers. |
Ultimately you will need to choose the kind of lighting to suit your theme, and most likely a combination of different lights will give you a great display for your outdoor Christmas Lighting.
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