Category Christmas light buying guide Target

Christmas light buying guide

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Christmas lights

  • illuminate your
    lighting choices.

  • light it right.

    With so many holiday lighting choices, how do you pick the best lights
    for your holiday display? Think about your location, the size of the
    space you’re lighting and your electrical outlets. And don’t forget safety.

  • lights, inside out.

    Think about the places you want to light—both inside and outside. Will your outside lights go both on your house and on a tree? The answers can help you choose the type and number of lights you need. Remember, indoor-rated lights or extension cords are for indoor use only. Outdoor-rated lights and extension cords can be used indoors or out.

  • bright lights, big tree.

    Measure the whole space that you need to light. Are you decorating a big tree or small shrubbery? We recommend about 200 lights for a six-foot tree, plus 100 more lights for each additional six inches. Choose enough lights to give your decorations a full look.

  • power up.

    How many electrical outlets are nearby, and how many lights do you need? Your lights will need enough power without overloading circuits or extension cords. If you need a lot of lights, consider energy-efficient lighting to help keep the power load down.

choose lightly.

  • LED lights.

    Energy-efficient and cool to the touch, LED bulbs can last over 20,000 hours and draw very little power—perfect if you don’t want to use too much power or have to replace a hard-to-reach string.

    shop all LED lights

  • solar.

    For holiday lights with no electrical bills, solar lights work even where there’s no outlet nearby. Automatic lights can turn on at dusk.

    shop all solar lights

  • icicle.

    A favorite for rooflines, eaves and windows, icicle lights come in regular or twinkling options. The average-sized home can be decorated with three sets of 300-count icicle lights.

    shop all icicle lights

  • net.

    Great for time-saving coverage on bushes, trees and hedges, net lights give quick results with professional-looking spacing.

    shop all net lights

  • rope.

    Best for outlining doors, windows or decks. To add some motion to your display, pick rope lights with a chasing light setting.

    shop all rope lights

  • specialty.

    Micro lights, faceted lights with a crystal look, satin finishes—specialty lights are there to meet your trickiest decorating needs.

    shop all specialty lights

  • globe & C-bulb.

    Globe and C-bulb lights—with heavy duty bulbs larger and brighter than mini lights—are perfect for a traditional outdoor look. Manufactured with regular or LED bulbs—but you can’t mix any C-bulb strings with other-sized bulbs.

    shop all globe & C-bulb lights

  • bulk.

    For decorating large spaces, use bulk lighting, available in 200- or 400-count LED bulb strings. Bulb strings come in various colors and sizes.

    shop all bulk lighting

make light work of
hanging lights.

Whether you’re hanging lights indoors or outdoors,
get together everything you need to make the job
easy and safe.

  • good plan.

    Grab a tape measure. Planning ahead of time and measuring carefully will save you lots of time.

    Measure everything you want to light: rooflines, doors and windows, columns, trees and hedges, and distances for extension cords. Measure twice.

    Choose the bulbs that work best for those spots, and don’t forget plenty of holiday light clips. There are clips for every kind of job—find the right ones below. And will you want the lights on a timer? Include it in your plans.

    shop tools
    shop extension cords

  • heavy duty help.

    Use a sturdy ladder that’s tall enough to safely reach the highest point you need to decorate, and hang a bucket from the ladder to help you hold materials.

décor & more.

Got everything? Remember the other stuff that helps make holiday displays easy and fun.

  • Christmas trees.

    Spruce it up indoors with a celebration-worthy tree. Find one that’s perfect for you by considering its shape, size, needle type, assembly method and whether you want a pre-lit or fresh tree.

    shop Christmas trees
    see Christmas trees buying guide

  • indoor & outdoor décor,
    wreaths & floral.

    Show the neighborhood your holiday spirit, and keep your home festive all season long with indoor and outdoor holiday décor, wreaths and floral.

    shop outdoor décor
    shop indoor décor
    shop wreaths & floral

  • holiday storage.

    Over so soon again? Keep all your decorations neatly tucked away for next year.

    shop storage