Since it is Thanksgiving week and our brains are kind of busy thinking about holiday plans, let’s have some fun today and all throw in our two cents on this highly sensitive, and controversial topic, shall we?
I threw this question out last year and it was fun to hear everyone’s answers and their reasons. I was an “all white lights girl” at Christmas for our entire married life because I loved the look at Disneyland, but last year I added in some colored lights to our garland, including some soft ambers and greens and I LOVED the freshness of it. We still have tons of white lights though so I am undecided which way I will go this year. I might do a mixture again.
I’m wondering what color of lights YOU are all going with this year? I know, it is kind of trivial, but I know you all have an opinion on what you like so go ahead and let’s discuss!
Ready, set GO.
Christmas Tree inspiration photo: BHG
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I’m all about white lights on the tree because I have LOTS of colorful ornaments. But I LOVE putting colored lights outside on the house. It’s way more fun than boring old white when you have little kids.
.-= Amy @ Living Locurto´s last blog ..I Heart Faces – Sun Flare =-.
I like them both! I use white lights in my more formal living room and colored lights in my family room. The family room has all our homemade ornaments and ornaments we’ve collected from family and friends. The colored lights seem more friendly and appropriate with that tree!
Not only am I going white, I removed all the colour from the tree this year too and made it a neutral tree, complete with burlap and ‘white sheet’ garland. It’s a first and I LOVE it!! But my son hates it so he’ll get his own tree in his room to do with what he pleases.
White vote for me! I’m in a white shabby mode this year for certain. Just redid my bedroom and the light calming feel I get when I enter that room, I now get when I glance at my Christmas tree. It’s magical.
(yes, my tree is up already because I have a Christmas show this weekend, it isn’t Thanksgiving in Canada)
Donna
.-= Funky Junk Interiors´s last blog ..Sat Nite Special #6 brings you ~ anything goes! =-.
I grew up with my parents using mulit-colored lights, but when I got married I switched to all white lights for a year or so. But we have finally found our favorite is a combination of mult-colored and white lights. The colors are so fun, but then the white lights really make things pop.
.-= Lora´s last blog ..Menu Plan Monday: Thanksgiving Week! =-.
Growing up we always used the ceramic c7 multi-colored light on our tree. When I was a teen, we used to hang white c7s on the roof line of our house, and I thought the white lights were sophisticated and grown up
When I got married, I only wanted white lights on my tree. Now that I have children, we do the multi-colored lights, because the children love the mix of colors. We plan to line our house with big c9 LEDs this year, and I like to think we’ll look happily like a gingerbread house 
Hang all our sophistication.
I’ve always done white but this year I found the most gorgeous ornaments at Pier 1 that are in bright colours (pink, turqouise, purple). I bought them even though they don’t match my tree. I think I’m going to get a 2 foot tree and some multi-coloured mini lights (the ones that have pink lights in them) and set it up somewhere. It’ll be nostalgic.
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Old Fort William =-.
We used to use only white lights but now we have a white tree so I have colored lights – tons of colored lights. So pretty.
.-= caren´s last blog ..PINK SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 21, 2009 =-.
I can still remember the excitement each year of that moment when you plugged in the lights to see if they still worked before putting them on the tree For a kid that was the joyous signal that Christmas was here! So I love the colored lights even if they are the tiny ones.
For years though I have used mostly white lights but I have a few spots where I love the colored ones. The white ones go in the more formal parts of the house and the colored ones goes in our family room and in the guest bedroom which are both decorated with a lot of red. I decorate every room in the house, so I am happy using both and mixing it up a little.
.-= Bonnie Mattson´s last blog ..A Simple Woman’s Daybook~November 23, 2009 =-.
I’m a sucker for the white lights. But I also have a soft place in my heart for what I call my gumdrop bushes. Two little bushes in our front yard at the corner of our house that I load up with colored lights. Everything else? Just white lights. But somehow those little gumdrop bushes make it all come together.
.-= Deidra´s last blog ..Advent::Almost =-.
I like white because they’re timeless! And they match any of the colors you choose to decorate with!
.-= L.Duncan´s last blog ..DECORATING YOUR MANTEL =-.
I prefer white lights but sometimes I do like a change, especially outside. In my old neighborhood we had a house that used all red lights outside, the big bulbs. They were lined up like a runway up and down the drive, sidewalk and roof! I hated that house. It was acutally scary coming around the corner and seeing it! Something out of amityville horror or a whore house! lol
I prefer white lights on the tree inside, and either white or green on inside garlands. Outside I love the simplistic beauty of white lights, but whenever I see the multi-colored lights on houses it reminds me of my childhood, so whimsical and fairytale-like, and it always makes me smile. My very favorite look on houses is how my dad now does it. Keep in mind, my folks are blessed with a very large two-story home which takes hours to put lights on…and I’ve never been brave enough to help out with the second story lights, my sister helps with that! Anyways, my dad lines the whole roof edge (top and bottom) with white lights, and then on each corner (and there’s a lot!) he has a few red lights to make a bit more impact. Then, in front of the large upper windows that sort of jut out from the house he hangs a large (like 8 foot) wreath that he made and covered with green lights & red lights for the wreath’s bow. Whenever you drive up and see the house it looks just like something out of a Christmas movie. It’s just gorgeous!
.-= Grace @ Ruby Moon Designs´s last blog ..Thanksgiving Tablescape Preview! =-.
i bought all blue lights! ever seen all blue? it’s the best!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2055/2112670671_d6272fd052_o.png
.-= hishouse;herhelp.´s last blog ..design inspiration; curvaceous. =-.
I always use white, it’s just what I have! I like the simplicity of the white lights with the hodgepodge collection of decorations I’ve collected over the years and been given as gifts. Janell
.-= Janell Beals´s last blog ..A Simple Beach House =-.
For me, only white lights will do!
Happy Holidays!
.-= beth´s last blog ..Fluffy Eggless Pancakes =-.
Twitter: HoosierHomemade
says:
I use white lights on most of the trees indoors, I put up a baseball tree in my son’s room that has blue lights and a Pez tree in my other son’s room that has colored lights. I use white lights outside too.
~Liz
.-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..Dessert Shots =-.
Hi Melissa, Over the years we have had only white, only colors, a mixture of the two, and there have been years when we have gone for the big ,vintage outdoorsy type lites on the tree. We actually have several trees around the house in different styles, and they have white lights, but the “real” tree (my family insists on one freshly cut tree) gets what ever we are moved to decorate it with that year.
Susan
.-= black eyed susans kitchen´s last blog ..BLACK AND WHITE AND SILVERWARE ALLOVER =-.
Growing up we always had multi coloured lights so my thing is to have all white. The outside of our house is a colour free for all (my hubby’s department) but the inside is mine! Happy decorating.
I grew up with the big colored lights on every tree. Once I had my own apartment and after all the years of marriage and children we always used white. A few years ago we decided to try the colored lights again. I enjoyed the feelings of childhood they brought back, but wished I had room for two trees…so I could have both types of lights.
Two years ago my husband walked out after 25 years of marriage on Halloween. My daughters and I discussed it and thought it would be too painful to decorate with all the ornaments from over the years..so we went out and bought a white tree prelit with white lights..and bought a slew of blue sparkly ornaments and ribbon at the Dollar Tree. It was a beautiful, right out of a magazine tree…and also the coldest tree I had ever had.
Last year we used our old tree..with white lights and all our old ornaments..and it was not nearly as painful as the year of the “Stranger” tree.
White all the way for me! Growing up there were always colored lights and I did that some when my kids were small. There’s just something magical and peaceful to me about the white lights, inside and out. I LOVE sitting in a darkened room, listening to Christmas music with something special to drink and just enjoying the lights and quiet peace.
I have two fake Xmas trees… one with white lights and other with color lights. So I do not have to fret about which to use every year!
I followed my parents tradition of colored lights. However, we did purchase a new family room Christmas tree a few years ago and it came strung with white lights and red (berry shaped) lights. And I love it! Sometimes a change is nice!
Teacup Lane (Sandy)
In our family, we made a compromise. I always loved the crisp classic look of white lights on a house at Christmas and my husband loves the colored lights. So, our family does white lights outside and colored lights inside. Everyone is happy!
We always had colored lights when I was a kid. I loved the look of those beautifully decorated trees with white lights, so once I was on my own, white lights it was. That lasted three years. The colors give so much more vibrancy to the tree, especially when mixed in with the ornaments we have.
I took the white lights and wrapped them around a wreath frame, which I hang in the window in the front of my house. The wreath of light looks great from the street.
I’ve come to the conclusion that white is perfect some things, but colored is best for trees.
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Bonfire. 10 years later. =-.
Growing up we always had the colored lights on the tree and in the garlands. I, however, do all white lights now, though I do still love the colored lights!! I don’t think you can go wrong either way! Both are just enchanting to me….
Lou Cinda
.-= Lou Cinda´s last blog ..A Gift and a Tease… =-.
I prefer the white lights. Then I can add color with ornaments, ribbon, other decorations. Plus, what I envision every year might change, but white is always a good base to start with.
.-= Andi Hays´s last blog ..sweater + scarf = happy =-.
We always had colored lights too, so I go for that when I want it to feel like home; white lights look gorgeous and classy though, so I go for them when I want a simple and chic look. Not sure what I’m doing this year yet!
.-= Danielle´s last blog ..Mashed Potatoes by Snoop =-.
I still do the white lights….but I do like the colored ones too.
Hugs,
Penny
I grew up with all blue lights. Blue with grandmas crocheted snowflakes and just the very special tree ornaments. I recall as a kid, wanting to more color, but blue and simple it always was. The color came on christmas morning in all the package wrap!
Now, I like the simplicity of all white and that is what I have had forever! But this year, I might just might bring back my moms blue lights. If I can talk my DH into it. Because I am feeling very nostalgic I guess.
.-= cathy´s last blog ..Have You Ever Danced on A Bar? =-.
WHITE all the way!! So chic, and the yellow light is so pretty.
I do white lights. I have a lot of ornaments and they are all so colorful that I don’t want colored lights to compete with them. Now, if I had all white ornaments I think colored lights would be wonderful.
I HAVE to go with white. I decorate my tree twice {once for my daughter’s birthday, then again for Christmas}, and the white lights allow me to transition between motifs more easily.
.-= Muthering Heights´s last blog ..My "Secrets" =-.
Oooh…this question was not trivial at all when we got married. My husband was adamant about those BIG glass colored lights, while I was adamant about the classy, soft miniature white lights. That first year, I gave in and I really missed my sweet little white lights. Last year, with nearly half of the large glass bulbs cracked or broken, I talked my husband into replacing them with large LED plastic lights for the outside. We really enjoyed them. We have also come up with a compromise inside. The living room tree (which is our largest tree) in the front window wears white lights (we tried the LED white lights on it last year…we will NOT do that again!). All the lights in the living room and dining room are white. The smaller (6′) tree in our family room and on the mantle are mini colored lights. Everyone’s happy!
.-= Andrea´s last blog ..A Kid Friendly Project =-.
Mine are white, but they are globe shaped, not the traditional tear drop. Kinda fun and different! While I use my ornaments to bring color to my tree, I do think that colored lights bring a charming retro feel to Christmas!
.-= the BLAH BLAH BLAHger´s last blog ..Taco Salad Salvation =-.
I love white lights!
.-= Joelle´s last blog ..A peek into my day =-.
I love, love, love all white lights – especially when there are tons of them. They seem so sparkly to me but they still let my ornaments become the focus of the tree.
.-= LesleySW´s last blog ..Last minute ideas for a Thanksgiving centerpiece =-.
White only! No discussions allowed at my house. lol
For MANY years it was mulit-colored. Then I went to all white. Loved it. Now my whole tree is nothing but purple and silver so the lights are purple!! This really is me. If I were to add another color with the purple, I am pretty sure it would be white. Oh – and the more lights the better!!!
Happy Thanksgiving all!
I am generally an all white lights gal. Mostly because it reminds me of icicles and snow. Since I live in California…snow does not visit me at home. Booo.
But I don’t hate colored lights. Growing up, our family had 2 Christmas trees. The kids tree (which had the colored lights and all the fun Hallmark ornaments) and the Adults tree…which was more fancy.
I just love lights. Happy Thanksgiving!
.-= Tiffany´s last blog ..He Is Not The Enemy =-.
White if for me, inside and out, but my boys still love the coloured lights. Our compromise is white LED lights for the front of the house, colours in the backyard. And luckily we have more than one tree, so they can get their colours and I can have white, just white. They won’t be young for long so I feel I can indulge them now.
I am so looking forward to all the great Christmas decorating posts out there in blogland.
I generally prefer all solid colored lights. For the longest time, I only liked white lights (although I grew up with colored lights in Christmas trees). In the last few years, I’ve also enjoyed all red or all green. We just bought a pre-lit tree for the first time last year, and it has all white lights on it.
.-= Queen Mommy´s last blog ..My name is Mommy =-.
I grew up with an all-white-lights tree, and I still do white lights on our main tree and the smaller trees in the Kitchen, Dining room, and Family room. I added a small tree to the addition last year, which is a spot where my girls play and I have my desk. I did colored lights and a garland with colored lights. I added small ball ornaments in jewel tones with a white wire ribbon with polka dots. I loved the look! It’s fun to mix things up.
I still like the look of nice white lights on our main tree, but I’m having fun playing with color in the addition.
.-= Amanda @ Serenity Now´s last blog ..DIY: Simple Party Invites =-.
I love the white.. it’s such a traditional but i usually throw in colors everywhere.. one year i did white and red. I’ve done white and blue, white and green.. i usually try to keep a color theme through my house.. i love it and it feels much more cozy to me
.-= Heather´s last blog ..{Favorite Fall Piece this year} =-.
We will have WHITE lights just like we do every year! I LOVE white lights. To me they seem very elegant. Bright and beautiful! When I was a child we always had colored lights, and I couldn’t wait to have my own tree so I could have white ones!
.-= rene´s last blog ..Pics As Promised Earlier… =-.
White… Definitely white… everywhere.
Good question! I love gobs and gobs of white lights on our tree, but I’m thinking I’d kind of like the whimsy of colored lights. Of course the kids would love colored lights-right now the debate around our house is one tree for all or one tree for grown ups and one tree decorated by kids. Can’t decide on this one!
.-= Gina´s last blog ..A Perfect World =-.
I grew up with a mix of the two on the tree and I can’t imagine it any other way. For me, just white would feel cold, but that’s just my personality. I put colored lights all around our front apartment window and our sliding glass door so you can see them from the parking lot. I put white and blue on our kitchen ledge. I’m thinking about getting icicle lights to hang from our porch. ^_^
.-= V. Higgins´s last blog ..Slowly creating new language in my heart… =-.
Oh, and I found an old set of the bubble lights, can’t wait to try them on the tree this year!!
.-= V. Higgins´s last blog ..Slowly creating new language in my heart… =-.
The garlands are done in all white lights. The tree is usually done with coloured lights, but last year we did white and green and it looked very simple,but still sparkly.
We’re going away for the holiday season so no decorating for us. I’ll still put up a couple of winter garlands up.
I heart Christmas…:)
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Gavin-isms =-.
White Lights Definately…my whole house is mostly White!!
White, definitely. They twinkle like stars and let the ornaments pop off the tree. I like to squint at them so they shimmer a bit.
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Siblings =-.