Best Outdoor Christmas Lights To Buy in 2025: This Christmas for your Home

Preparing your home for the holidays is always a fun endeavor, and I’ve been researching the best outdoor Christmas lights to help mine look extra special this year. There’s a huge variety out there, from traditional strings to fancy smart lights you can control via your phone.

Here are a handful of the lights I found, focusing on lights that survive the winter, shine brightly and take relatively little fussing to set up so your house can look festive but not fussy. Let’s discover the right lights to illuminate your season!

Key Takeaways

• For a vibrant and customizable light show, POOFZY Permanent Outdoor Lights offer a 200ft RGB+IC smart solution with 50 scene modes, perfect for detailed house decor.
• The Dazzle Bright 164 FT string lights provide a classic Christmas feel with 500 waterproof LEDs on green wire and 8 modes, ideal for a traditional outdoor display.
• If you need a truly long setup, the 355FT Multicolor Christmas Lights with 900 LEDs are waterproof and come with a timer, making them great for covering large areas.
• Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, a 100ft RGBIC strand with 72 LEDs, offers IP67 waterproofing and smart control for daily and accent lighting needs.
• The Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro extends to 200ft with 120 RGBIC LEDs, giving you even more control and options for daily and accent lighting, making it a top choice for extensive decoration.

Best Outside Christmas Lights To buy this Christmas 2025

Okay it’s Christmas now, I’m in the spirit, and I’ve been scheming up ways to make my house feel extra festive this year. It’s always kind of a mission, isn’t it? Decide what you want and then figure out how to get it: Something that looks good, will survive the winter months and doesn’t cost an arm, a leg or more than your art collection to run.

Hopefully the following will help you out, as I’ve been doing a little digging and there are some great top rated outdoor Christmas decorations available to buy.

POOFZY RGB+IC Permanent Outdoor Lights for House,200ft Smart Outdor Decor.(50 Scene Modes)

I’ll be honest, when I first laid eyes on the POOFZY Permanent Outdoor Lights, had I not been introduced to many other cool products from our friends in China over the years, I’d have been super skeptical.

More smart lights, yeah? But man, this kit gave me pause in 200ft runs with the RGB+IC (yes IC!) tech. It means each and every little light can display a different color and that opens up so many decorating possibilities. I’ve been wanting something more “dynamic” than just… blinking lights, and these look like they would work out pretty well.

The setup was surprisingly straightforward. I felt a bit daunted at the prospect of running 200 feet of lights, but it ended up feeling fairly manageable. The real magic here is in the app. It has 50 scene modes, so enough to play with.

I wound up spending a solid hour, just scrolling through them trying to figure out which was going to look nice on the house. Some are festive twinkle of snowfall and others more general, like a slow color fade.

I like it because you can really customize the look for whatever mood you are in. Add the ability to control them remotely, and it’s a game changer; no longer need to go outside in the cold weather just to turn them on or off. I’m also impressed by how well they hold up to various weather.

They feel good and robust, the IP rating means they can put up with a little bit of rain, which is important in these parts. If you’re trying to step up your outdoor holiday display, really upgrade it this year, these are definitely worth considering. They have lots of room to personalize, with smart features that take a lot of the drudgery out of decorating and leave you free to create. You can read more about smart lighting options here.

Dazzle Bright 164 FT 500 LED Christmas String Lights, Waterproof Green Wire String Lights with 8 Modes, Outdoor Christmas Decorations for Indoor Garden Party Yard Decor (Multi-Colored)

When I was in the market for some quality outdoor Christmas lights, I came across the Dazzle Bright 164 FT string lights. I didn’t have high hopes, and I was not let down.

These lights feature 500 LEDs outlined in green wire and measure just under 164 feet, which is probably generous for covering most of my house’s roofline. I think the real boon is that they are waterproof, so no need to worry about them shorting out if we get some unexpected rain or snow.

And they offer eight different modes, so there’s plenty of variety. I’ve been going between the steady on and twinkling, both look amazing. The green wire is also a nice factor; it seems to blend in with my outdoor decorations better than some of those bright white or brown wires I’ve seen on other strings.

I haven’t put them up for a full season yet, so I can’t vouch for their long-term effectiveness and durability, but they’ve survived quite well. The bulbs themselves seem pretty durable and the wire feels like it’s strong enough. I would recommend these for the price if you want an easy and simple string of lights to make your place look festive.

355FT Multicolor Christmas Lights Outdoor,900 LED Extra Long String Lights Waterproof Timer UL Certified 8 Modes Twinkle Lighting Connectable for Decor Indoor,Lighted Green Wire Garden Patio Party Homeksam

And when I’m shopping for outdoor Christmas lights, I want something that’s going to last and really make my house shine. This 355-foot-long, 900-LED strand caught my eye because it is said to be a long-lasting, festive outdoor lighting option.

But the size is so generous that I can cover a lot of ground, maybe even wrap them around several trees or along the entire roofline without requiring a ton of extension cords. I can always be a little nervous with lights outside, especially when the elements come into play, so I’m thinking the fact that they’re referred to as waterproof Christmas string lights is promising.

I hope they’re some of the brightest string lights for outdoor use, casting an intense multicolored glow that’s visible from the street. What I’ve found to be a game changer, though, is that they have a timer feature built in, you won’t need to go outside every single night (in the cold) to turn them on and off. It just simplifies the whole decorating scenario so much, and really, anything that will reduce my holiday stress is A-OK in my book.

Govee RGBIC Outdoor String Lights 2 Pack,100ft Bluetooth 72 LED Color Changing Outdoor Lighting IP67 Waterproof

So I’m checking these Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 out, the 100-foot model with 72 RGBIC LEDs. Let’s face it, the concept of permanent outdoor lights is sort of appealing.

No more fighting with ladders and crumpled strings of lights year after year, am I right? This particular pair comes with an IP67 waterproof rating, meaning it’s supposed to be able to survive being dunked in water for a short duration, so the occasional bit of rain or snow won’t prove problematic.

The real draw here is the RGBIC technology; it allows each LED to show a different color at once. That opens the door for so many dynamic lighting effects that just aren’t possible with typical LED strings.

I wonder how easy it is to install these permanently. 100 feet sounds like it would go a long way in my house’s eaves. The app control is really great as well. I’ve reviewed a few other Govee products before, and their apps are generally intuitive to use, with just enough colors and effects that accomplish the desired effect.

With this model and 72 LEDs over 100′, I am curious about the density of the lights. It’s not as dense as some of the options with higher counts, so I anticipate more like a subtle accent lighting, rather than a super-bright in-your-face display. It could be just right for outlining rooflines or twisting around trees without feeling overwhelming. I need to wait and see how the colour fades look with this LED count and spacing.

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro, 200FT with 120 RGBIC LED Lights for Daily and Accent Lighting

OK, so I was checking out these Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro, and truth be told: They look kinda slick. That’s a 200-foot strand with 120 RGBIC LED lights.

What does RGBIC mean? Essentially, it’s some of Govee’s tech that allows each LED to display more than a single color at once. This is a huge deal because it means you can get super seamless, fluid color effects for what goes on across all the lights, not just one static color for each section of light.

I’ve seen some people have these up for more than just Christmas. They are calling them ‘permanent’ for a reason, right? You can turn them on and walk away, pulling them out for holidays, events or even just as low light in your house all year.

The app control is where it becomes interesting. You have a wide array of preset scenes to choose from, but if you’re feeling artistic, you can also design your own color patterns. They’re reportedly even programmable to change color depending on the time of day or for special events.

One thing I wonder is how they will fare outdoors. They’re rated IP67, which is decent – that means they should be dust proof and can survive being submerged in water down to a meter for a brief period. So, rain or snow aren’t likely to be a problem.

A length of 200 feet is really generous, meaning that you’ll be able to cover a good portion of your house’s eaves or the perimeter of an entire space. For those seeking a more advanced take on string lights, this is definitely a step up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of outdoor Christmas lights are the best fit for my home?

For a display that truly knocks it out of the park, I would consider permanent outdoor lights. They are sturdy enough to make it through all four seasons. Some even allow you to switch their colors and patterns from your phone, which is a neat thing. If you’d rather keep it simple, the tried-and-true string lights with green wires meld well with trees and bushes. Just be sure they’re advertised as impervious!

Do LED Christmas lights really beat the old-fashioned kind?

Oh, definitely! I discovered those LED lights, which really don’t run up my power bill: You throw the switch and your lights won’t make you go nuts.” And they also last a lot longer, like ten times as long as the old kind. And they don’t get as hot, which is also safer (not cool to the touch but still safe). Plus, the colors are super bright and vibrant.

How can I ensure that my outdoor lights will withstand the elements?

That’s a big one! I always look at the packaging and words such as “waterproof” or “weather-resistant. Some lights have an official rating, such as IP65 or higher, which will tell you how much they can keep water and dust at bay. Also, attempt to situate any plugs or adapters where they will not be soaked by rain or snow.

What’s up with ‘smart’ outdoor Christmas lights?

Smart lights are pretty neat! They typically sync with an app on my phone or tablet. That way, I can change the colors and brightness or set up some cool moving patterns without having to go outside and fiddle with them. Some allow you to create custom light shows, which is great for parties or if you feel like making things festive.

I want a lot of lights. How many can I chain?

Well, it really does make a difference what kind of lights. With a few LED strings, I’ve been able to chain several together perhaps 20 or more without needing additional extension cords and blow a fuse. As always, it’s best to consult the product details in order to determine the maximum number of strands that you can safely link together.

How do I store my outdoor Christmas lights after the season ends?

I just try and remember to treat them carefully when I take them down, so they last longer. I tend to loose coil it up instead of cramming them into a box. It helps a great deal to prevent the wires from becoming too twisted or kinked. Storing them in a cool, dry place, maybe in a plastic bin, is usually the best way to go.