Cheap Christmas Lights

Cheap LED Christmas lights

This store sells LED Christmas lights in the two forms most displays use: C9 bulbs for rooflines and 50-count mini light strands for trees and shrubs, along with the clips, socket wire and plugs to hang them. Prices are listed per pack and per case, and shipping is free on all orders.

C9 LED bulbs

C9 LED bulbs are the large roofline bulb, about 1⅛ in. across on an E17 intermediate base. They come faceted, for a sparkle effect, or smooth for an even glow, in sun warm white, warm white, pure white, cool white and colors. 25-packs cover replacements and short runs; a 500-bulb case fills 500 ft. of 12 in. socket wire.

LED mini lights

Each LED mini strand carries 50 lights and connects end to end with other strands. 4 in. spacing makes a dense wrap for trunks and close-viewed shrubs; 6 in. spacing covers more length per strand for canopies and large trees. Wire comes in green, white and brown to match the surface.

Clips

C9 O-clips fasten each socket to the gutter edge. Clips are what keep a line of C9 bulbs straight and evenly spaced, and they install without nails or screws.

Why LED

An LED C9 bulb draws a small fraction of the wattage of an incandescent C9, so a single outdoor circuit powers far more bulbs, and the plastic lens holds up to ladders and storage. Over several seasons the lower power draw and fewer broken bulbs keep the cost of a display down.

How many lights to buy, and what they cost

The cost of LED Christmas lights is easiest to work out per unit: per bulb, per strand, per clip. Count what the display needs, then multiply by the per-unit price.

C9 bulbs for a roofline

Convert the roofline length to inches and divide by the socket spacing. A 150 ft. roofline at 12 in. spacing takes 150 bulbs; at 15 in. it takes 120. At $0.798 a bulb in 25-packs, 120 bulbs come to about $95.76. In a 500-bulb case the price drops to $0.638 a bulb, which makes sense once the display needs more than a few hundred bulbs.

Mini light strands for trees

For a medium wrap, plan about 100 lights per foot of tree height, or two 50-light strands. A 6 ft. tree takes about 12 strands. 6 in. strands are $14.50 each ($10.83 each by the 24-case); 4 in. strands are $15 each ($12.29 by the case). Use 4 in. spacing for a denser look on smaller trees and shrubs.

Mini lights for shrubs and railings

One 50-light strand covers about a 2 ft. by 2 ft. shrub, or roughly 16 ft. of railing at 4 in. spacing and 25 ft. at 6 in. Connect strands end to end, but check the maximum number of connected strands on the packaging so a run doesn't overload.

Clips

Plan one clip per socket plus about 5% for corners and breakage. Per clip at pack quantity:

• C9 O-clips for gutter edges: $0.237 each, or $0.228 by the case.

Choosing a bulb color

LED C9 bulbs and mini strands come in several whites and colors. Sun warm white (about 2600–2800K) is closest to old incandescent bulbs. Warm white (about 2800–3200K) is the classic soft white. Pure white (about 4000–4200K) is neutral and crisp, and cool white has a blue tint. Multi-color and single colors like red and green are available too. Use one white across the whole house so every roofline matches.

Getting more seasons out of cheap lights

LED bulbs rarely burn out; most losses come from crushed sockets, water in connections and broken lenses in storage. Keep plug connections off the ground, point them downward, and coil runs loosely when they come down. A dark bulb can be swapped from a 25-pack, and a damaged C9 socket can be replaced on its own.