Another Christmas decorating question-Outdoor lights

[motherhen17404]

My DH and I have an argument over this every Christmas. He wants to decorate the outside of the house with only 1 color of lights. He thinks that doing the house in all red lights would look really good. I think it would look tacky that way. I say that if you want to use only 1 color of lights they should be white lights.

What color lights do you like on the outside of a house? And do you outline the whole house including windows and doors or do you just to the roof line?

 

[vacanut]

We use clear lights, just the outline of the house!

 

[WeirdEyes]

I agree with you. I love colored lights, but it is multiple colors, not just one. Having all red lights to me would look like the "Red Light District." LOL

 

[motherhen17404]

Having all red lights to me would look like the "Red Light District." LOL

That is what I said. I even asked DH how much I should charge should someone come looking for that sort of thing!

 

[korzmom]

we had all red lights one year- the outline of the house,the big lights BUT we had white lights on the trees outside - it looked very nice and was different than everyone elses with their icicle lights ....maybe you can compromise and try something like that and add a blow up figure outside too, preferably a MICKEY....

 

[staci]

My DH and I have an argument over this every Christmas. He wants to decorate the outside of the house with only 1 color of lights. He thinks that doing the house in all red lights would look really good. I think it would look tacky that way. I say that if you want to use only 1 color of lights they should be white lights.

What color lights do you like on the outside of a house? And do you outline the whole house including windows and doors or do you just to the roof line?

Well IMHO,ANY color of lights can look tacky or beautiful, depending on how it is done!! I was really loving the white light thing for a long time, but now many people around here do it, and so it is nice to see some 'tastefully done' colors. I have seen a few houses that do all blue that look very pretty against the snow. I think red could look nice too, depending on what was done with it.

We had some neighbors that did their evergreens in green lights, and their house in white. I thought that looked really nice. I also have liked when people do their landscaping with one red bush, one white one, then another red, with a pattern.

One pet peve of mine: when people use flasher lights, but the lights are not synchronized, so that 1/2 the tree is lit up, then the bottom goes out, then the whole thing goes on, then just a few lights down the middle stay on..... .

 

[SleepyMom]

We use multi-colored lights to outline the house. Then we use single colors for things out front, the tree is white, and the bushes green. The support for the front porch is usually red and white.

Some people in our area use red and white lights (one red, one white, one red, etc...) to outline the house and then use all white or red on the ground stuff. that looks pretty cool, kind of like a candy cane.

 

[dennis99ss]

A thread after my own heart. I put out only red lights, c9's, 7 watts. I put out about 1400-1500 of them. All around the edges of the yard, drive, walkway, edges of the roof line, angles in the roof, around the chimney, garage door, front entry, etc. I do have a lot of blow mold figures in the yard, the nativity, santa's area with a couple elves, santa's sleigh, a blow up santa train, and then a winterwonderland side, with snowmen, penguins, polar bears, and a blow up snowman family. Then, of course I have the carolers corner, with Mickey and Minnie caroling, with candy canes, street lamps, etc. This year, however, I am changing a bit, as the lights that a string along the road always seem to get damaged, either by kids on bikes, cars, or once every couple of years, people like to try to pull them and run. But, the wierdest thing that I find, is it seems that every year people seem to think the lights along the street are their own personal re supply house, as I probably get 8-10 a year missing, where the bulb has been removed. So, this year, instead of stringing lights along the road, I am placing small blow molds along the road, small polar bears on the snowman/winter wonderland side, angels in front of the nativity side, and small santa's in front of the santa side. I also have a 12 foot snowman, I am going to place on a stand, behind the fence, so it towers over that part of the yard. And, of course, I do have some of the white twinly christmas trees, a tree, in a 4 x 6 frame, that I have some presents around. And then, instead of lights on the edge of the drive, I am going to put about 25-30 candy canes which light up. Every year I try more and more, but every year, I don't win.

When we built the house a couple of years ago, we put in two timers on either side of the house, running outlets of 40 amps each. Unfortunately, we run about 100 amps or more, so, probably next summer, we will have to put additional timers, outlets on the house. Now, we just add to the two 40's by hooking up to the garage outlets, lamp outlets, back yard floods, etc.

Have fun with all red.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

In the past we've done the clear icicle lights with a row of red lights lining the roofline. It looks nice, but it's a lot of work! I want to get some of the multi colored icicle lights this year.

 

[wdwgirl03]

We use multicolored in our bushes. It looks so cute, especially when there is snow on them and the lights shine through!!!

 

[puffkin]

I personally am a fan of white lights with cut greens and red bows for the outside of a house.

Perhaps you could use all red lights on the house and maybe put multicolored or white lights on the bushes/trees or something like that to break it up a bit.

 

[ZachnElli]

Last year was our first year in this house and we bought the clear icicle lights to line the roof. This house came with a cool feature, there are outlets along the roof line to plug in Christmas lights and a light switch in the garage to turn them on! Cool!

 

[laurajetter]

Although white lights are classic and can be pretty, I must admit that I get tired of seeing house after house after house with nothing but white lights. It seems there are either all white lights or all multi-colored lights and when I see a house with all one color other than white, it looks very pretty and unique to me. It just sets a certain mood you don't get from all white or multi-colored.

There is a house on this one road near me that always does their house and bushes in red. Ever since I was little I always thought it was so different and nice looking. Over recent years they have it mostly red with a couple things in white. I guess it's okay, but I still like it all one color!

So my advice would be to step away from what most people do (white lights) and do something different and go with your husband's plan!

Laura

ETA: Whatever you choose to do, be neat about it. One thing that really mess up the look of Christmas lights is when they are sort of slapped up quickly with lights sagging and going in different directions. I always appreciate the houses whose owners take a few extra minutes to put the lights up carefully!

 

[Kae]

We line the house with C7's alittle smaller than the C9's Multi colored. Then line the sidewalk with Red & green C9's. White lights on the bushes. And those lighted Hanging balls in the trees-red, green & white. My neighbor does her big pinetree with red C9's & it is beautiful & her lower bushes with green little lights.

Kae

 

[cats7494]

We have blue icicles on our house...it is quite pretty. I get tired of seeing white lights on every other house - it is nice seeing a little color!
Go for the red! It does look really pretty - we have a neighbor that does that and it is very tasteful and lovely!

 

[m&m's mom]

Tons and Tons of C9 red only.
Looks quite pretty and not at all "red light district".
We too got sick of seeing all white everywhere although it is pretty.

 

[golfgal]

There is a house not far from us that uses only red lights, on the house, bushes, trees, etc. and it is BLINDING! It is like looking at a laser. I don't drive by that house ever at Christmas time because I am afraid of crashing my car. Mix it up or use another color. If you are just putting a few out it isn't a problem but their whole yard is lit in red.