The Best Outdoor Christmas Lights: Six Easy Ways to Make Your Home Glow
Make your house glow this Christmas. Six outdoor Christmas lights for every home, from solar string lights to door clusters and garden stakes, all under £30.
600 White Firefly String Lights
If you want to make a big impression, this is the set to get.
- Lots of lights for the price: 600 LEDs for under £25
- Over 20m of lights, plus a 15.5m lead
- A gentle flicker that looks warm and cosy
200 Warm White Solar Firefly Lights
No outdoor socket?
- Solar powered, so no plug and no running costs
- Turns on automatically at night
- 20m of lights, long enough for most gardens
880 Warm White LED Cluster Lights
Cluster lights pack lots of tiny LEDs tightly together, so they look thick and twinkly, almost like a...
- 880 LEDs in a short length, so it looks full and rich
- The right size to frame a front door
- 8 light settings
200 Battery Icicle Lights
Icicle lights hang down in strands, like icicles dripping from the edge of a roof.
- Battery powered, so they go anywhere
- Built-in 6-hour timer to save batteries
- 200 warm white LEDs over 5.1m
8 LED Christmas Star Stakes
Push these into a lawn or a flower bed, and you get a row of glowing warm white stars, each about 35cm tall.
- Eight stars for under £15
- No digging or ladders, just push them into the ground
- Battery powered, so no cables across the lawn
Set of 4 Candy Cane Stake Lights
If you've got children, they'll love these.
- Bright, colourful and fun
- 50cm tall, so they stand out
- Built-in timer
There's something special about coming home on a dark December evening to a house that's lit up for Christmas. It makes the whole street feel festive, and the kids love it.
You don't need a huge budget or a ladder full of cables to get there. We've picked six outdoor lights for different spots around your home: the front of the house, the garden, the front door, the windows and the path. Every one is under £30, and there are options that need no plug socket at all.
Ways to save at Pennells
- Free delivery on orders over £50, so two or three sets of lights usually qualify
- Order by 10am for next-day delivery
- Click and collect from their garden centres in Lincoln, Cleethorpes and Sleaford
- See all Christmas lights at Pennells
Which power type is right for you?
- Mains (plug-in): the brightest option and the easiest to leave on all evening. You'll need an outdoor socket, or a plug just inside a window or door.
- Solar: no plug and no batteries. They charge in daylight and switch on by themselves at night. They're less bright on dull winter days.
- Battery: put them anywhere, even where there's no socket. Look for a built-in timer, so the batteries last longer.
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The six lights side by side
| Firefly String | Solar Firefly | Door Cluster | Battery Icicle | Star Stakes | Candy Canes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Front of house | Gardens, fences | Front door | Windows, porches | Lawns, beds | Paths |
| Price | £24.99 | £24.99 | £29.99 | £14.99 | £14.99 | £19.99 |
| Power | Mains | Solar | Mains | 3 x AA | 3 x AA | See listing |
| Lit length / size | 20.5m | 20m | 5.5m | 5.1m | 8 x 35cm stars | 4 x 50cm canes |
| Timer | No | Turns on at dusk | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Shop | See the deal | See the deal | See the deal | See the deal | See the deal | See the deal |
Simple safety tips for outdoor lights
- Only use lights made for outdoors outside. Check the box or listing says outdoor use.
- Keep plugs and transformers dry. Use an outdoor socket with a cover, or keep the plug indoors and run the cable through a window gap.
- Don't overload sockets. Use one extension lead per socket, and never plug one extension into another.
- Switch off at night or use a timer. It saves energy and makes the lights last longer.
- Check for damage before you put them up each year, and throw away any set with broken cables.
So, which lights should you buy?
Go for the Firefly String Lights if you want to light up the whole front of the house.
Go for the Solar Firefly Lights if you don't have an outdoor socket.
Go for the Cluster Lights to make your front door the star of the street.
Go for the Icicle Lights for windows and porches with no plug nearby.
Go for the Star Stakes or Candy Canes to light up the garden and path.
Not quite right? Pennells has more than 100 Christmas lights, including light-up reindeer, stars and window lights. Browse all Christmas lights at Pennells
What to look for in outdoor Christmas lights
Before you buy, these checks will help you pick lights that look great and work safely outside.
- Outdoor rating. Only use lights made for outdoor use outside. Check the box or listing.
- Power type. Mains lights are brightest. Solar and battery lights go where there's no socket.
- Length and lead. Measure the space you want to light, and check the lead is long enough to reach your socket.
- Colour. Warm white looks cosy and traditional. Cool white looks crisp and modern. Multi-coloured is fun for families.
- Timer and settings. A built-in timer saves energy and batteries. Light settings let you choose steady or twinkling light.
- Number of LEDs. More LEDs over a shorter length looks fuller and brighter.
What do customers say about Pennells?
Pennells has only a small number of Trustpilot reviews, and most are about visiting its garden centres rather than the online shop. Staff are often praised as friendly and helpful.
Common questions
When should I put my outdoor Christmas lights up?
Most people put them up in late November or early December. Lights sell out quickly in the run-up to Christmas, so it's worth ordering early.
Are solar Christmas lights any good in the UK?
They work, but they're less bright in winter because there's less daylight to charge them. They're great for gardens and fences where there's no socket, and plug-in lights are the better choice if you want maximum brightness.
How much does it cost to run Christmas lights?
LED lights use very little electricity. Using a timer, or switching them off at bedtime, keeps the cost even lower.
Can I leave outdoor lights on all night?
It's better not to. Switching them off at bedtime, or using a timer, saves energy and helps the lights last longer.
How do I hang lights without damaging my walls?
Use outdoor light clips or adhesive hooks made for the job, rather than nails or staples, which can damage the cable.
Related guides
- The Best Small Christmas Trees
- How to Start a Lemax Christmas Village
- The Best Backdrops for Christmas Photos at Home
Prices, offers and ratings can change, so check the latest price before you buy. If you buy through our links, Savified may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our guides free.
- We researched popular options sold by major UK retailers.
- We compared features, specifications and verified buyer reviews.
- We checked prices across several stores so you can see where it is cheapest.
600 White Firefly String Lights
If you want to make a big impression, this is the set to get. You get 600 white LEDs across more than 20 metres, which is enough to wrap along a fence, around a large tree, or across the front of the house.
Some bulbs stay steady while others flicker gently, which gives a soft, candle-like glow rather than a harsh flash. There's also a long 15.5m lead, so you can reach a socket that's further away.
✓What We Like
- Lots of lights for the price: 600 LEDs for under £25
- Over 20m of lights, plus a 15.5m lead
- A gentle flicker that looks warm and cosy
- Works indoors and outdoors
✕What to Keep in Mind
- It plugs into the mains, so you need a socket nearby.
- There's no timer, so you'll need to switch it off at night, or use a plug-in timer.
200 Warm White Solar Firefly Lights
No outdoor socket? No problem. These lights charge in the daylight and switch on by themselves when it gets dark. There are no cables to run through a window and nothing to add to your electricity bill.
You get 200 warm white LEDs across 20 metres, with a choice of steady or twinkling light. They're perfect for a fence, a hedge or a garden tree.
✓What We Like
- Solar powered, so no plug and no running costs
- Turns on automatically at night
- 20m of lights, long enough for most gardens
- Steady or flashing modes
✕What to Keep in Mind
- Solar lights need daylight to charge. On short, cloudy winter days, they won't be as bright or last as long as plug-in lights.
- Put the solar panel where it gets the most daylight.
880 Warm White LED Cluster Lights
Cluster lights pack lots of tiny LEDs tightly together, so they look thick and twinkly, almost like a glowing garland. This set has 880 warm white LEDs over 5.5 metres, which is just right for framing a front door or wrapping around a porch.
There are 8 light settings, from steady to twinkling, and a long 8m lead to reach a socket.
✓What We Like
- 880 LEDs in a short length, so it looks full and rich
- The right size to frame a front door
- 8 light settings
- Long 8m lead
✕What to Keep in Mind
- It plugs into the mains. The plug part (the transformer) is for indoor use, so keep it inside or in a covered, weatherproof outdoor socket.
- There's no built-in timer.
200 Battery Icicle Lights
Icicle lights hang down in strands, like icicles dripping from the edge of a roof. These are battery powered, so you can hang them along a porch, a window frame or a shed, even where there's no socket nearby.
The built-in timer is the clever bit. It turns the lights on for 6 hours, then off for 18, every day. Switch them on once in the evening, and they'll come back on at the same time each night.
✓What We Like
- Battery powered, so they go anywhere
- Built-in 6-hour timer to save batteries
- 200 warm white LEDs over 5.1m
- Indoor and outdoor use
✕What to Keep in Mind
- You need 3 AA batteries, which aren't included.
- They're shorter and less bright than plug-in lights, so they're best for smaller spots.
8 LED Christmas Star Stakes
Push these into a lawn or a flower bed, and you get a row of glowing warm white stars, each about 35cm tall. They're a simple, low-cost way to light up the garden or line the way to your front door.
✓What We Like
- Eight stars for under £15
- No digging or ladders, just push them into the ground
- Battery powered, so no cables across the lawn
✕What to Keep in Mind
- You need 3 AA batteries, which aren't included.
- There's no timer, so switch them off at bedtime to save the batteries.
Set of 4 Candy Cane Stake Lights
If you've got children, they'll love these. Four large, multi-coloured candy canes, each 50cm tall, light up along the garden path like something out of a Christmas film. They have a built-in automatic timer too.
✓What We Like
- Bright, colourful and fun
- 50cm tall, so they stand out
- Built-in timer
- Indoor and outdoor use
✕What to Keep in Mind
- Check the listing for the power type before you order.
- They're colourful rather than warm white, so they suit a fun look more than an elegant one.
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