Buyer's Guide
How to Choose Christmas Lights in 2026
Choosing Christmas lights gets much easier when you start with the project and work down to the details. Make four decisions in order — what you're decorating, which light family fits, what color, and how many — and the catalog sorts itself out.
Decision 1: Start With What You're Decorating
The best light for a roofline is the wrong light for a shrub. Match the product family to the job first:
- Rooflines & Eaves
C9 Bulbs
Shop C9 LightsThe roofline standard. Big, bold, and readable from the street — C9 is what professional installers put on rooflines, peaks, and architectural outlines.
- Windows, Doorways & Trunks
C7 Bulbs
Shop C7 LightsThe classic bulb shape in a smaller size. C7 shines outlining windows and doorways, wrapping tree trunks, and anywhere people see the display up close.
- Trees & Shrubs
5mm & M5 String Lights
Shop 5mm LightsDense sparkle for wrapping branches and building texture. 5mm wide-angle strings (often called mini lights) and M5 strings are the workhorses here.
- Bushes & Ground Cover
Net Lights
Shop Net LightsEven coverage over shrubs and hedges without the wrestling match. Nets drape on in minutes and cut way down on connection points.
- Overhangs & Fascia
Icicle Lights
Shop Icicle LightsA cascading curtain of light along eaves and railings — a different look from a single clean roofline outline.
- Commercial & Large Properties
Project-Level Support
Commercial & Pro BuyersCities, HOAs, churches, installers, and serious large displays get their own support channel — planning help included.
Decision 2: The Light Family
C9: The Roofline Standard
C9 bulbs are the larger classic bulb — easy to see from the street and the go-to for rooflines, peaks, and building outlines. Our ProCore® C9 LED bulbs are the professional-grade version: bright, efficient, and built for exactly this job.
If the goal is “the outline of my home should read clearly at night,” start here.
C7: The Classic, Up Close
C7 keeps the traditional bulb silhouette in a smaller package. It's the right call for outlining windows and doorways, wrapping tree trunks, and dressing porches, railings, and garlands — the places people experience your display from a few feet away, not from the curb.
Torn between the two? We wrote a whole guide on it.
String Lights: Know Your Lens Styles
LED string lights come in four lens styles (that's the shape of the lens on the string — “bulbs” properly refers to screw-in C7 and C9 replacements). From smallest to largest:
- Smallest
5mm Wide-Angle
Shop 5mmThe dense-sparkle standard for trees, shrubs, and wrapping. Wide-angle dome lens throws light in every direction.
- Traditional Mini
M5
Shop M5Elongated, faceted lens with the traditional mini-light look. Great on trees, greenery, and general decorating.
- Globe
G12
Shop G12A 12mm raspberry-style globe lens — a rounder point of light for trees and accents.
- Largest
C6
Shop C6The strawberry-shaped lens — the largest of the string light styles, with a classic bulb-like profile on a string.
All of our string lights are backed by our Reindeer Proof™ Warranty.
Decision 3: Pick Your Color
Color decides the personality of the display more than anything else you'll choose.
- Classic & Cozy
Warm White
Shop Warm WhiteThe nostalgic, candle-like glow — our warm white LEDs are a true 2800K. The safest starting point if you're unsure.
- Crisp & Modern
Cool White
Shop Cool WhiteBright, icy, architectural. The sharper look for modern homes and snow-themed displays.
- Playful & Traditional
Multicolor
Shop MulticolorThe full-color classic. Red, green, blue, yellow/gold, and orange/amber on one string.
- One of a Kind
ColorSplash
Shop ColorSplashOur exclusive multicolor blends — curated palettes like Arctic and Stardust you won't find on anyone else's shelf.
LED vs. Incandescent: The Honest Answer
For nearly every project, LED is the right choice — it's what professional installers use, and it's what we build our catalog around. LEDs draw a fraction of the power, run cool, and deliver season after season of reliable performance. Lower wattage also means you can run far more light on a single circuit.
Incandescent still has fans for its filament glow, and we carry a selection of incandescent replacement bulbs. But if you're outfitting a display you plan to grow, LED is the better long-term investment — and modern 2800K warm white LEDs deliver the cozy glow people used to buy incandescent for.
Want Motion? Add an Effect
Steady-on is timeless. But if you want a display with life in it, our exclusive effect lines add motion without a controller:
- Gentle Motion
DreamSpark®
Shop DreamSpark®Bulbs fade slowly and randomly in and out — a calm, breathing effect.
- Full Sparkle
SuperSpark®
Shop SuperSpark®Every bulb strobes. The boldest, most attention-grabbing effect we make.
- Balanced Sparkle
QuadSpark®
Shop QuadSpark®Every fourth bulb strobes while three burn steady — sparkle with structure.
- Cool-White Accent
Dazzle™
Shop Dazzle™Every fourth bulb is a cool-white strobe over a steady string — a frosty twinkle.
Decision 4: How Many Lights Do You Need?
Quantity comes down to linear footage and how dense you want the finished display to feel. Two rules of thumb from thousands of projects:
- Rooflines need a measured plan. Walk the roofline (or measure from the ground plan) before you buy — guessing is how displays end up one strand short in December.
- Trees and shrubs take more than you think. Dense, professional-looking wraps use noticeably tighter spacing than most first-time buyers expect.
Skip the guesswork entirely: measure your spaces and let the Christmas Light Calculator turn the numbers into strand counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Christmas lights for rooflines?
C9 bulbs. They're the size professional installers use on rooflines, peaks, and architectural outlines because they read clearly from the street. Our ProCore® C9 LED bulbs are built specifically for this job.
What's the difference between C7 and C9 Christmas lights?
Size and job. C9 is the larger bulb and belongs on rooflines and building outlines. C7 is the smaller classic bulb, best for windows, doorways, tree trunks, and up-close areas. See our full C7 vs C9 guide for the complete breakdown.
Are LED Christmas lights better than incandescent?
For almost everyone, yes. LEDs draw far less power, run cool, and deliver season after season of reliable performance. Modern 2800K warm white LEDs also match the cozy glow that used to be incandescent's main advantage.
What are mini Christmas lights?
Usually 5mm wide-angle LED string lights — small, bright lenses spaced closely on a string. They're the standard choice for wrapping trees, shrubs, and greenery. M5 strings offer a similar scale with a more traditional elongated lens.
How many Christmas lights do I need for my roofline or tree?
It depends on linear footage and how dense you want the display. Measure first, then use our Christmas Light Calculator to convert measurements into strand counts.
What color Christmas lights should I choose?
Warm white (2800K) for a classic, cozy look; cool white for a crisp, modern look; multicolor for playful tradition. If you want something nobody else on the street has, look at our exclusive ColorSplash blends.
Which Christmas lights are best for commercial properties?
Usually C9 systems and professional-grade string lights, planned around coverage and power. For cities, HOAs, churches, installers, and other large projects, start with our Commercial & Pro Buyers page — planning help included.
Four Decisions Down. One Click to Go
You know the job, the family, the color, and the count. The rest is the fun part.