Glowing string lights are a classic way to decorate for the holidays, and they can be used in so many ways to create a festive outdoor display!
From stringing lights on the roof to creating illuminated outdoor decorations,
there are so many ways to use lights to make your home and yard look like a winter wonderland.
Here are 25 Christmas outdoor lights ideas to inspire you!
1. Icicle Christmas outdoor lights
Add some drama to your home this holiday season with icicle lights.
This simple and classic design is easy to install and can add a lot of impact to your home.
You can also use icicle lights on your roof, gutters, or any other overhang on your home.
Pro tip: If you’re using icicle lights on a flat surface, like a fence, hang them so the strings fall.
If you’re using them on a sloped surface, hang them so the strings are parallel with the slope.
2. Christmas outdoor lights with greenery
We love the look of white Christmas lights, but if you want to add a pop of color to your outdoor lights, greenery is a great way to do it.
Weave lights through garland, wreaths, and trees to create a warm, welcoming glow around your front door.
If you have a porch, you can also add lighted garland to your porch railing.
3. Christmas light ideas with snowflakes
If you live in a place where it snows, you can take advantage of the natural beauty of winter by using snowflake lights.
These lights are a fun and festive way to decorate your home for the holidays.
You can use snowflake lights to create a winter wonderland on your property. Place them on the ground to create the illusion of a fresh blanket of snow.
Or, hang them from your trees to create a magical, twinkling effect.
You can also use snowflake lights in combination with other types of outdoor Christmas lights to create a unique and beautiful display.
Try mixing them with icicle lights or string lights to create a multi-dimensional look.
4. Christmas outdoor lights with big balls
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by using these big bulb Christmas lights!
This outdoor Christmas light idea is perfect for anyone who wants to go for a more traditional look.
We love the idea of using these big bulbs to frame a doorway. It’s a simple way to make a big statement.
5. Outdoor Christmas lights with a lot of colors
If you want your outdoor Christmas lights to look like a rainbow, you can make that happen.
Just make sure you choose a variety of lights with different colors and string them all together.
We love how this home used a rainbow of colors to create a bright and cheerful Christmas lights display.
This is a great idea if you have a lot of trees in your yard and want to make sure they all get a little festive touch.
6. Outdoor lighted Christmas decorations
If you love the look of Christmas lights but don’t want to spend hours hanging them up on your home,
then outdoor lighted Christmas decorations are the way to go.
These pre-lit decorations come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re designed to be staked into the ground or hung up on your porch or balcony.
You can find everything from lighted Christmas trees to reindeer and more.
7. Christmas outdoor lights with a lot of small bulbs
This is a great example of how to use Christmas outdoor lights to frame a garden.
The small bulbs make the lights look like a net, and they are hung from the roof and fence to create a really cozy look.
The best thing about small bulbs is that they are so versatile and can be used to create a variety of different outdoor Christmas lighting looks.
You can use them to wrap around trees, create a net effect like this, or even use them to create a waterfall effect.
8. Christmas outdoor lights ideas with stars
If you’re looking for a unique design for your outdoor lights, why not use stars as your inspiration?
This display is simple, but it’s a fun way to add a little bit of sparkle to your home.
The best part? You can get stars like these that project light onto your home, or you can use string lights to create a similar effect.
9. Big outdoor Christmas lights
If you can’t wait to get your Christmas lights up, but don’t have the time to cover your entire house in a sea of twinkling lights,
then these large Christmas lights are the perfect solution.
They add an instant touch of festivity and fun to any outdoor space and are so easy to use.
You can hang them from trees, along fences, or even from the roofline of your house.
10. Christmas outdoor lights with a lot of small bulbs
If you love the look of string lights but want something a little more unique, these globe bulbs are a great option.
They’re a little bigger than traditional string lights, but they still give you that same look.
I love how they’re used to create a canopy over this outdoor dining table. It’s such a fun touch and makes the space feel a little more special.
11. Christmas outdoor lights ideas with stars
How stunning are these outdoor Christmas lights?!
We love the way the stars have been hung here, and the way they are lit up with warm white lights.
This would be a great way to add height to your outdoor Christmas light display too, just use a ladder to hang your stars at different levels.
12. Big outdoor Christmas lights
If you have a more traditional Christmas color scheme, you can still have fun with your lighting.
These large globe lights are oversized and make a statement.
We love how this home used the red and green, but added in some fun blue and white lights.
13. Christmas outdoor lights with a lot of small bulbs
If you have a smaller home, you may want to opt for Christmas outdoor lights that are a little more understated.
This small bulb string light is a great option for wrapping around a front porch or fence.
This look is simple, but it still makes a big impact. The lights make the space feel cozy and festive without being too over the top.
14. Christmas outdoor lights ideas with stars
One of the most popular Christmas outdoor lights ideas is to hang star shaped string lights.
You can use traditional white or go for a colorful twist like these!
Using colored string lights is a simple way to add some color to your outdoor Christmas lights display.
You can find string lights in all white, colored, or multi-color.
15. Big outdoor Christmas lights
If you’re a fan of the big Christmas light trend, you’ll love these oversized outdoor lights.
They’re perfect for adding a playful touch to your outdoor Christmas decor.
You can buy oversized Christmas lights in a variety of colors and string them along your porch or roofline.
You can also use them to create a fun walkway or to frame your front door.
16. Christmas outdoor lights with a lot of small bulbs
When you think of Christmas lights, you might think of large bulbs. But this display is proof that small bulbs can be just as festive.
The small bulbs on this house are used to accent the roofline, porch, and windows.
And the lights are all white, which is a nice contrast to the red and green lights on the trees.
17. Christmas outdoor lights ideas with stars
If you have trees in your front yard, consider wrapping string lights around the trunk and branches to create a starburst effect.
You can also hang star-shaped lights from tree branches, your porch, or the eaves of your home.
18. Big outdoor Christmas lights
These large globe Christmas lights are perfect for adding a fun, retro touch to your outdoor Christmas light displays.
You can hang them from the eaves or even drape them across your landscape.
19. Christmas outdoor lights with a lot of small bulbs
If you want to fill your outdoor space with a lot of light, then this is a great option.
These Christmas lights are made up of a lot of small bulbs, which creates a beautiful effect.
The lights are hung from the roof, but you can also hang them from the gutters or from the edge of the roof.
You could also use a staple gun to hang them from the eaves.
20. Christmas outdoor lights ideas with stars
Stars are a traditional Christmas motif, and they make for a gorgeous lighting display.
You can use a variety of star-shaped lights to create a magical scene, or use a single large star as the focal point of your display.
Either way, star-shaped Christmas lights are a beautiful way to light up your outdoor space.
21. Big outdoor Christmas lights
If you have a big garden or a large outdoor space to decorate, you’ll want to go bold with your outdoor Christmas lights.
And what could be more bold than these extra-large Christmas lights?
You can find these oversized lights in all the classic
Christmas colors and they are perfect for making a statement along a garden path or strung across a porch.
Conclusion
There are many creative ways to decorate your home for Christmas, but outdoor Christmas lights are one of the most exciting and fun ways to go. From the simple to the elaborate, we have the perfect Christmas light ideas for you.