Christmas Lights Buying Guide

Whether you want a soft glow along the roofline or a show-stopping display for the whole street, here is how to choose the right Christmas lights.

Types of Christmas lights

• Icicle lights hang from gutters and eaves. Measure your roofline and choose a length from 6m up to 32m. Meteor and falling-snow styles add movement.
• Net and curtain lights cover hedges, bushes, windows and walls quickly and evenly.
• Fairy and rope lights wrap around trees, railings, balconies and pergolas.
• Solar Christmas lights charge during the day and switch on at dusk, with no powerpoint or extension lead needed.
• Indoor lights and light-up gift boxes add a glow under the tree or on the mantel.

Plug-in vs solar

Plug-in lights are brighter and more consistent. Solar lights are easy to install anywhere, but need a sunny spot (ideally 6+ hours of direct sun) to run all evening. That makes them great for the Aussie summer.

Outdoor tips

Use lights rated for outdoor use, plug into a covered outdoor powerpoint or an outdoor-rated extension lead, and secure strings with clips rather than nails or staples.