Christmas lights do most of the work in a festive room: a tree, a window or a porch looks dressed the moment they go on. This section collects LED string lights and light chains for the tree, the mantelpiece and the garden, from long low-voltage sets for outdoors to small battery strings you can tuck into a vase or a wreath.
Types of Christmas lights
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Light chains on a transformer. Long sets, often 10 m or more, with a plug-in transformer that steps mains down to a safe low voltage such as 24 V. The usual choice for a large tree, a hedge or a balcony rail.
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Battery string lights. Thin copper or silver wire with tiny LEDs and a small battery box. No socket needed, so they go on shelves, in jars, round mirrors and on a table centrepiece.
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Warm white or multicoloured. Warm white gives the classic candle-like glow and suits wooden decorations and greenery. Multicoloured sets read as playful and nostalgic, and work well on a children’s tree or outdoors where they have to stand out from street lighting.
How many lights does a tree need?
There is no fixed rule, but retailers’ guides agree on a rough scale. Fewer lights give a gentle twinkle; more give a full, glowing tree.
| Tree height |
Typical number of lights |
| 90–120 cm (3–4 ft) |
about 100–200 |
| 150–180 cm (5–6 ft) |
about 350–500 |
| 180–210 cm (6–7 ft) |
about 480–700 |
| 240 cm (8 ft) and taller |
700 and more |
Lit length matters as much as the count. A chain with widely spaced LEDs covers more branches but looks sparser up close. If one set is too short, two shorter sets placed side by side are easier to hide than a single cable stretched to its limit.
Indoor or outdoor
For anything outside, check the IP rating. IP44 means the lights are protected against splashing water, which is the usual minimum for a porch, a tree in the garden or a balcony. Indoor-only sets should stay indoors, however sheltered the spot looks. On low-voltage sets the transformer is the sensitive part: check on the product page whether it may be used outdoors, and if not, keep it inside and run only the lead through the window or door.
Putting the lights up
On a tree, start at the trunk at the bottom and work up and out along each larger branch rather than winding the set round the outside like a bandage; the light then comes from inside the tree. Test the set before hanging it. Outdoors, fix the cable with clips or soft ties, keep the plug and transformer off the ground and away from puddles, and use an outdoor-rated socket. A plug-in timer saves remembering to switch them off.
Care and storage
Unplug the set before touching it. After the holidays, wind the chain loosely round a piece of card or a reel so the wires do not kink, and store it dry. Take batteries out of battery sets before packing them away, as old batteries can leak over the summer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use indoor Christmas lights outside?
No. Indoor sets are not sealed against rain and condensation. Outside, use lights marked for outdoor use, usually IP44 or higher.
Are battery Christmas lights bright enough?
They are designed as accents: a wreath, a jar, a shelf or a small tree. For a full-size tree or a hedge, a mains set with a transformer gives longer runs and steady brightness without changing batteries.
Warm white or multicoloured lights?
Warm white suits natural decorations, wood and glass baubles and calm interiors. Multicoloured lights are more cheerful and show up better from a distance, which helps outdoors.
Are LED Christmas lights safe to leave on?
LEDs run much cooler than old filament bulbs, which lowers the risk near needles and paper decorations. Still, switch them off when you go out or to bed, or put them on a timer.
For figures, stars and other glowing decorations, see light-up Christmas decorations, or browse the whole decor section.
