The Best Christmas Tree Lights to Brighten Up Your Holiday

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Fact: A Christmas tree is just a plain old tree until it is strung with lights. It's true that Christmas ornaments and a pretty tree topper make it special, but it's that warm glow from lights that makes it so very merry and bright. If you're reading this in December, it's well past the question of when to put up the Christmas tree—the time is now! So once you decide if you're choosing a real tree or investing in an artificial tree you can use from year to year, the next step is selecting the best Christmas tree lights.

There are various shapes, sizes, and colors, but with one thing in common: they are all string lights, which are ideal for Christmas trees. First, read up on how to put lights on a Christmas tree to determine how you want to hang them and how much lighting you will need. It is recommended that you need about 100 lights per foot of tree. (So for example, a six-foot tree would need 600 lights.) Then, decide on the look that you want. They can be as simple as basic white lights, as complicated as app-controlled sets that blink to music, or somewhere in between.

The lights here can certainly double as outdoor Christmas lights if you want to hang them outside on your roof, too. Just make sure you are compensating with the amount you purchase, especially if they will be dispersed between solar Christmas lights and Christmas light projectors out over the lawn. And lastly, as you're shopping for lights, you may also want to consider your ideal Christmas tree storage so they don't end up in a tangled mess for next year. Happy decorating!

Clear Christmas String Lights

If you're not sure where to start or want to ensure your lights go with any and every type of decoration, go with classic white string lights. The bulbs on this affordable set last an average of 2,500 hours and work independently of each other, so one burn out won't ruin the whole strand.

Mini Multicolor Christmas Lights

You can't go wrong with classic multicolored lights! This option is extra long, which is ideal for a larger tree. It also comes with four spare bulbs, four flasher bulbs, and two spare fuses so you can fix any small issues throughout the years.

Brizled Color Changing Christmas Lights

This set gives you so many options to play around with! It is remote controlled and provides four brightness levels and 11 different lighting modes. Try everything from simple warm white to flashing multicolor, all with a click of a button.

LED Christmas Lights

If you know you're going to be purchasing a larger tree or just don't want to deal with connecting multiple strings, this set of 300 lights is the way to go. It also has eight lighting modes and a memory function so you don't have to reset it every time you turn them on.

C7 Multicolor Christmas String Lights

Go big or go home if you want that vintage feel. C7 bulbs look just like the classic lights, but these are LED which conserve energy and last longer. Oh, and if one blows out, the whole string will still stay lit.

Holiday Essence Mini Christmas Lights

These mini bulbs are professional grade, so they will last up to a whopping 25,000 hours! They stay cool to the touch, come in five different solids and a multicolor option, and can connect up to 45 times. Mix and match or keep to one color!

Home Lighting Christmas String Lights

Looking for as many recommendations as possible? These lights have over 13,000 reviews! Fans love their memory function and their easy-to-program eight lighting modes. Most of all, they love how bright these lights shine even though they are small and are on the more affordable side.

612 Vermont Christmas Twinkle Lights

If it's twinkle that you're after, it's twinkle you shall have with this set! Only 12 of the lights actually twinkle out of the 100 per strand, but that is on purpose for optimal shimmer. You get two regular and two shimmer replacement bulbs with the pack, too.

Blue and White Christmas Lights

If you're kind of over white or multicolored lights, try another fun set. Go for blue and white, solid purple, or a mix of green and red. There are over a dozen options to choose from, all backed with a three-year warrenty.

Twinkly Strings App-Controlled LED Christmas Lights

If you want all the bling options, this set is worth the money! Controlled with a phone app or a home device like Alexa, you can create thousands of different color combinations, brightnesses, and effects. You can even set these lights to flicker and move to music!

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