Christmas Lights: White or Multi-Colored?

[1GoldenSun]

Our trees in my childhood were the most garish things imaginable-- tinselfests blazing with colored lights galore. I loved them then but when I was out living on my own through my 20s I trended toward a more Martha Stewart-esque tree decor with white lights and "tasteful" ornaments--in the 90s that was dried flowers and raffia and artsy looking stuff. Then I got married and had kids and came full circle. I don't know if they even make tinsel anymore (sometimes called icicles) but we go all out with the colored lights and the fun ornaments--lots of Disney ones and the ones representing my kids and their interests.

So, short answer--colored.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I generally like multi-colored the best. We have more than one tree, the main tree will do either white or multi. On the "fun tree" I have multi. My work tree has multi. My step-daughter's tree has white. I like regular lights better than LED usually. It seems that multi LED is OK. White LED makes me dizzy and messes with my eyes. Maybe you are not supposed to stare at them, but they seriously mess with me.

 

[PollyannaMom]

In general, I lean toward white outside and colored on the tree.

(In a perfect world, though, I'd have more than one tree, including at least one "homestyle" one with colored lights and at least one "elegant" one with white.)

This year, I happen to have white on both, because time was a factor, and I found the white ones first.

 

[ronandannette]

Our trees in my childhood were the most garish things imaginable-- tinselfests blazing with colored lights galore. I loved them then but when I was out living on my own through my 20s I trended toward a more Martha Stewart-esque tree decor with white lights and "tasteful" ornaments--in the 90s that was dried flowers and raffia and artsy looking stuff. Then I got married and had kids and came full circle. I don't know if they even make tinsel anymore (sometimes called icicles) but we go all out with the colored lights and the fun ornaments--lots of Disney ones and the ones representing my kids and their interests.

So, short answer--colored.

Yes they do - I always grab a package whenever I see them because I presume it’s something that will eventually pass into folklore. At this point I have more than enough for my own natural lifespan, which is good because I love them and can’t imagine my tree without them. They’re perfect for filling in the bare spots when hung strategically, strand by strand. I’ve got both red and gold ones on this year.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We're a mixed household. DH likes all white, as it's more "classy." I think the multicolor lights are more festive. I think it's about what we each had when we were growing up.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Yes they do - I always grab a package whenever I see them because I presume it’s something that will eventually pass into folklore. At this point I have more than enough for my own natural lifespan, which is good because I love them and can’t imagine my tree without them. They’re perfect for filling in the bare spots when hung strategically, strand by strand. I’ve got both red and gold ones on this year.

I haven't seen any in the stores in my area. I heard something about tinsel being environmentally unfriendly, so it may be going the way of the plastic straw. I'd be willing to pick every strand off my tree so it doesn't end up in the oceans; I love that shiny stuff!

 

[bethbuchall]

I think that they are both beautiful, but I'm not a fan of LED lights of either. LED lights do something weird to my eyes (or brain) even the ones that are car tail lights. I guess I'm going to need to get used to it. Our tree has multi-colored mini lights. We don't have outside lights. The tree is in the front window, and we have "candles" in the other front windows.

I don't particularly like flashing or blinking lights, but pretty much all Christmas lights make me happy anyway.

 

[pigletto]

I think that they are both beautiful, but I'm not a fan of LED lights of either. LED lights do something weird to my eyes (or brain) even the ones that are car tail lights. I guess I'm going to need to get used to it. Our tree has multi-colored mini lights. We don't have outside lights. The tree is in the front window, and we have "candles" in the other front windows.

I don't particularly like flashing or blinking lights, but pretty much all Christmas lights make me happy anyway.

I agree with you for the same reasons. I find the bright blue LED the absolute worst. I can't even look at them head on .. they are just blurry.

 

[bethbuchall]

I haven't seen any in the stores in my area. I heard something about tinsel being environmentally unfriendly, so it may be going the way of the plastic straw. I'd be willing to pick every strand off my tree so it doesn't end up in the oceans; I love that shiny stuff!

My mother loved tinsel when I was growing up. It was always hung a single strand at a time, no clumping. We also took every strand off every year and saved them for the next year. She even had some from her childhood that were still made of metal.

 

[mousefan73]

We have a Disney tree and a traditional one. Disney of course has to be colored and the other is warm white lights. I have an a mannequin dress tree too and here the lights are a blue/cool white light. I hate it. But the lights are stapled on. Each year Lin say I will redo it and change to warm lights but never do it. Maybe this year!

 

[mickeyfan9194]

I grew up in a house where EVERYTHING was in "showcase" condition, just like you would see in a catalog. Only white lights on the tree, with silver and gold ornaments. Very elegant. But we couldn't touch it, or really even go near it.

Once I moved out on my own, it was nothing but colored lights, lots of tinsel, and ornaments I've acquired from my travels or the kids have made. The more garish, the better! Our house is definitely "lived in".

 

[PollyannaMom]

I grew up in a house where EVERYTHING was in "showcase" condition, just like you would see in a catalog. Only white lights on the tree, with silver and gold ornaments. Very elegant. But we couldn't touch it, or really even go near it.

I have a friend whose house was like that. Her mother actually had a candy dish with candy you couldn't eat - because the colors matched the living room! (I have no idea how old that candy was. )

Once I moved out on my own, it was nothing but colored lights, lots of tinsel, and ornaments I've acquired from my travels or the kids have made. The more garish, the better! Our house is definitely "lived in".

From Pinterest:

 

[JoanneAZ]

I don’t do outside lights but, for the tree it’s incandescent multicolored lights with the option for steady or twinkling.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Main (artificial) tree in family room is multi-color lights. We used to have all-clear, but DW wanted multi when we bought this tree about 4 years ago.

Every 3 or 4 years we get a cut real tree and put C-7 old fashioned bulbs on it. Multi color.

Thin pencil tree in dining room has all red lights this year.

4 ft tall black fake tree in foyer with clear lights.

My grandmother's silver aluminum tree is in living room. The color wheel broke about 25 years ago. I bought one of those outdoor projector lights to shine on it. Not as good as the color wheel, but it does the job.

 

[aristocatz]

Do you prefer white or multi-colored lights? What kind are on your tree?

Our pre-lit Christmas tree has the option to do either white or multi-colored lights, or both. Right now, we have it on a setting where it fades between white and multi-colored lights. So I feel like we get the best of both worlds! I slightly prefer the multi-colored lights because that's what we always had on the tree growing up.

We do both as well....but only our white ones twinkle