20 Outdoor Christmas Lights Ideas (Rooflines, Trees, Porches + Easy Setups)

By 8 min read
White two-story colonial house at dusk with warm white lights outlining the roofline, gables and windows and a wreath on the front door

Outdoor lights are the part of Christmas decorating the whole street sees. You don't need a show that makes the evening news: a clean roofline, a lit front door and something glowing in the yard are enough to make a house look ready for the holidays.

Here are 20 outdoor Christmas lights ideas, from classic warm white rooflines and retro C9 bulbs to wrapped trees, walkway luminaries and easy setups for apartments. First, a quick guide to planning, measuring and staying safe. For the front door itself, see our Christmas front porch decor ideas.

In this post22 sections

Planning Your Outdoor Christmas Lights

  • Measure first. Measure the roofline, windows and railings in feet. With bulbs spaced 12 inches apart, that's one bulb per foot, and strands usually come in 25- or 50-foot lengths. Buy 10 to 20% extra for corners and mistakes.
  • Use outdoor-rated everything. Lights, extension cords and timers should all be labeled for outdoor use by a testing lab such as UL or ETL.
  • Plug into a GFCI outlet. Outdoor outlets should be GFCI-protected. If yours isn't, use a portable outdoor GFCI adapter, and keep plug connections off the ground and out of puddles.
  • Check the connection limit. The package says how many strands can be linked end to end. LED strings allow far more than old incandescent ones.
  • Use clips, not nails or staples. Plastic gutter and shingle clips about every 12 inches hold the lights straight and don't damage the house.
  • Add a timer. A plug-in timer or a photocell turns the lights on at dusk and off at bedtime, so you never have to remember.
  • Stay safe on the ladder. Test every strand on the ground before you climb, have someone hold the ladder, and make sure it extends at least 3 feet above the roof edge.
  • Don't mix whites. Warm white and cool white look very different side by side. Pick one and use it across the whole house.

1. Warm White Roofline and Windows

White two-story colonial house at dusk with warm white lights outlining the roofline, gables and windows and a wreath on the front door

A warm white roofline with matching window outlines is the classic look, and it never looks dated. Big C9 bulbs read clearly from the street, while mini lights look more delicate up close.

Run the lights along the gutter or the shingle edge with clips and keep the lines straight; that matters more than the number of lights. Outlining the gables and the front windows makes a two-story house look finished.

2. Big Multicolor C9 Bulbs

Brick ranch house at dusk with big multicolor C9 bulbs in red, green, blue, orange and yellow along the roofline and porch

Multicolor C9 bulbs are the nostalgic choice, and they're back in a big way. Red, green, blue, orange and yellow bulbs along the roofline look like a 1960s Christmas card.

Choose LED C9s with a warm, slightly vintage tint rather than harsh, bright colors. For more retro ideas, see our vintage Christmas decor ideas.

3. Icicle Lights Along the Eaves

Gray craftsman house with warm white icicle lights hanging along the roof eaves and porch, with light snow on the roof and yard

Icicle lights hang in short strands of different lengths and look like frost dripping from the roof. They're easy to install along gutters and porch roofs.

Check the drop length before you buy. Shorter drops suit a one-story house or a porch, and longer drops look better high up on a two-story house. Clip them about every foot so the top line stays straight.

4. Wrapped Tree Trunks

Two large front yard trees with trunks and main branches wrapped in warm white mini lights against a dark blue sky

Wrapping tree trunks and main branches in warm white mini lights makes the whole yard glow, even if the house itself has only a few lights.

Start at the base and wrap upward in a tight spiral, keeping the rows a few inches apart for a full look. A big tree can take several hundred mini lights, so buy more than you think and plan where the cord will reach an outlet before you start.

5. Net Lights on Bushes

Rounded boxwood shrubs along a house foundation covered evenly in warm white net lights, with a lit walkway and a wreath on the door

Net lights are the fastest way to light shrubs: throw the net over the bush and tug it into place. The lights land evenly spaced, with no wrapping.

They come in sizes like 4 by 6 feet, so measure your shrubs and buy the nets a little larger. Plug them into the same timer as the roofline so everything turns on together.

6. Lit Garland Around the Front Door

Front door framed with a lit fir garland and red velvet bows, a large lit wreath on the door and two lanterns on the steps

A lit garland around the front door is where to start if you only do one thing. Add a lit wreath and a pair of lanterns on the steps and the entry glows.

Battery lights with a built-in timer avoid running a cord through the door. Use a garland hanger or outdoor adhesive hooks around the frame instead of nails. For more entry styles, see our front door entryway ideas.

7. Wrapped Porch Columns

Farmhouse porch with white columns wrapped in lit fir garland, a lit garland along the railing and rocking chairs with plaid blankets

Porch columns wrapped in garland and lights make the whole porch look festive. Spiral the garland from the top down, then add a lit garland along the railing.

Wrap the lights around the columns first so they sit inside the greenery, and hold the garland in place with zip ties or floral wire. Plaid blankets on the rocking chairs finish the look.

8. Walkway Luminaries

Front walkway lined on both sides with glowing white paper bag luminaries leading to a softly lit house

Line the walkway with paper bag luminaries for an old-fashioned glow. Guests can find the door, and the path looks magical from the street.

Weigh each bag down with a couple of inches of sand and use LED candles instead of real ones: they're safer and last all night. Space them about 2 to 3 feet apart.

9. Window Candles and Wreaths

White colonial house at dusk with a glowing electric candle in every window and a green wreath with a red bow in each front window

A candle in every window and a wreath in each front window is the simplest colonial look. It's elegant, cheap and easy to set up.

Battery window candles with a 6-hour timer turn themselves on every evening. Hang the wreaths from ribbons tied at the top of the window frame or from clear adhesive hooks.

10. A Lighted Arch over the Path

Garden path in a front yard with a metal arch wrapped in fir garland and warm white lights and a lit house in the background

A metal arch wrapped in garland and lights over the front walk or a garden path creates an entrance that guests walk through.

Garden arches are easy to find at garden centers. Anchor the legs well in the ground, because an arch covered in garland catches the wind.

11. Grapevine Reindeer

Front lawn with two lighted grapevine reindeer covered in warm white mini lights, one grazing, in front of a lit house

Lighted grapevine reindeer are a classic yard decoration that looks natural by day and glows at night.

Stake them firmly into the lawn so they don't tip over in the wind, and place them where they can be seen from both the street and the front window.

12. A Backyard String Light Canopy

Backyard patio with warm white string lights hung in a zigzag canopy over an outdoor table, small lit trees and a fire pit

Don't forget the backyard. String lights in a zigzag canopy over the patio make it a place to sit by the fire pit with hot cocoa.

Use commercial-grade string lights and a steel guide wire for long spans, and mount them on posts or on the house with hooks. More ideas are in our outdoor lighting ideas.

13. Lights on the Fence and Gate

White picket fence with warm white lights along the top rail and a garland and wreath with a red bow on the gate

A fence lined with lights pulls the whole front yard together. Add garland and a wreath with a bow on the gate.

Run the lights along the top rail with clips or zip ties. For more fence styles, see our privacy fence ideas.

14. Mailbox and Lamp Post

Mailbox post and black lamp post at the end of a driveway wrapped in lit fir garland and topped with big red velvet bows

The mailbox and the lamp post at the end of the driveway are easy places to add a little Christmas. Wrap them in a lit garland and top each one with a big bow.

Battery lights avoid running a cord down the driveway, and an outdoor-rated ribbon keeps its color through rain and snow.

15. Balcony Lights for Apartments

Apartment balcony on a brick building with warm white string lights on the railing, a small lit garland and a potted tree with lights

No yard? An apartment balcony with warm string lights on the railing, a small lit garland and a potted tree still says Christmas to the whole street.

Use battery or solar lights if there's no outdoor outlet, and check your building's rules about what can hang outside. More small-space ideas are in our balcony garden ideas.

16. Permanent Roofline Lights

Modern farmhouse with permanent LED track lights mounted under the eaves glowing warm white along every roof edge

Permanent roofline lights are LED tracks mounted under the eaves that stay up all year. You control them from your phone: warm white for Christmas, other colors for other holidays.

They cost more up front and often need professional installation, but there's no ladder every December. Choose a system with a true warm white for a classic Christmas look.

17. Light Curtains in the Windows

Front windows of a house filled with warm white curtain lights hung from the inside, seen from the front yard at dusk

Curtain lights hung inside the front windows fill each window with vertical strands of light, and they look beautiful from the street.

They hang from a tension rod or adhesive hooks at the top of the window and plug in indoors, so there's nothing to install outside.

18. Wreaths and Lights on the Garage

Two-car garage with a big lit wreath with a red bow above each door, warm white lights on the roofline and lit garland around the frame

The garage is often the biggest thing the street sees. A lit wreath centered above each door and lights along the garage roofline balance the look.

Hang the wreaths on the wall above the doors, not on the doors themselves, so nothing catches when the doors open.

19. A Lit Star on the Gable

House at dusk with a large lighted star mounted high on the front gable and warm white lights along the roofline

A large lighted star high on the front gable is a simple, dramatic focal point. With a plain warm white roofline, it's all the house needs.

Mount the star to the trim with screws or a bracket, and run its cord along the roofline lights to the same outlet and timer.

20. Deck Railing Lights

Raised wooden back deck with warm white lights along the railings and posts, a lit garland on the stair rail and lanterns on the steps

A deck wrapped in lights along the railings and posts makes the back of the house glow too. Add a lit garland on the stair rail and lanterns on the steps.

Use clips made for railings so you don't damage the wood. For more designs, see our deck railing ideas.

Outdoor Christmas Lights FAQ

When should I put up outdoor Christmas lights?

Many people hang them in early to mid-November, while the weather is still mild, and turn them on the day after Thanksgiving.

How many lights do I need for my house?

Measure the roofline and every other line you want to light, in feet. With bulbs spaced 12 inches apart, you need about one bulb per foot, plus 10 to 20% extra.

Are LED Christmas lights worth it?

For most people, yes. LEDs use far less electricity than incandescent lights, stay cool, last longer and let you connect more strands end to end.

How do I keep outdoor lights safe in rain and snow?

Use outdoor-rated lights and cords, plug them into a GFCI outlet, keep the connections off the ground and cap any empty sockets.

The photos in this post were created with AI to illustrate each idea.

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Filipe

Written by Filipe

I am a home and decor enthusiast who delights in details that create cosy, inspiring ambience. I want to enhance spaces and inspire calm and joy in homes, and believe in how the environment affects our lifestyle. I seek to spread calm and inspiration through my work.

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