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12.09.2013

The Great Debate: White or Colored Lights?

So this is the ultimate debate: Do you put white lights or rainbow lights on your Christmas tree? This article made me realize I was not alone. This particular debate has been going on in my family for YEARS! Its was always my mom and I who wanted the classic white lights, and my dad and brother who wanted the colored lights. I personally like the classic and put together looking tree, while others like a tacky more fun tree complete with homemade macaroni ornaments from kindergarten. Don't get me wrong, I love sentimental ornaments, but I always have to look at this tree all month so I prefer a more "put together look." As I was saying, this never ending debate has been going on for years with no avail, so as a result, my family started getting two trees. Yup, two. In the living room (aka the room that no one really uses and is in front of the big bay windows, my mom and I have our way with the white lights. This is the tree everyone sees from the street. In the family room with the fireplace, TV and the room we pretty much do everything in, we have the tree with the colored lights. We basically have a Christmas tree mullet situation going on here - business in the front and party in the back!!
As for the tree D and I have in our apartment, since we don't have a huge house and I am just so agreeable, we do the colored lights (and the large vintage bulbs) and are going with the whole "quirky and fun tree vibe." I mean heck, you might as well throw some tinsel on that thing and a few popcorn strings and call it a day. Because anything goes with that tree! Very no muss, no fuss. But I told D that once we have a house of our own with space, the two Christmas tree tradition will be implemented in full effect!! Christmas tree mullets will live on for our kids to enjoy, and to take sides in the ever long debate!
And I still haven't had a chance to post pics of our actual tree but I PROMISE they will be up tomorrow : )

So which side of the debate are you on? White lights or colored lights?
Or do you do something completely different? Blue lights? White Christmas tree? Neon pink everything?
Please share with me your traditions!!

xo Steph

also linking up with Still Being Molly

40 comments:

  1. Personally I love the classic white light! One day if we have a place where I can have more than one tree my other one would be all vintage!

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  2. I'm on team white lights for sure - but I do like the idea of having 2 trees if someone else in your fam prefers colored lights. Great compromise!

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    1. I was always a Team white lights girl but now I think I'm liking both in their own way. Having two trees is the best of both worlds!

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  3. Growing up we had a fake tree most years and 90% of the time she wore the vintage large-bulbed colored lights and memory-related ornaments. My two "grown up trees" on my own have been the opposite (real with white lights and matching ornaments).

    This year since Dean and I are heading to Florida for over a week I became a worry wart about our tree catching fire while we were gone... To Dean's dismay I caved and bought a fake tree like I grew up with- the big difference is that this guy came pre-lit with white lights. The plans for future trees would be to put up this fake one and give it the perfected look and go out tree-hunting for a fun, multi-colored tree.

    (Disclaimer- Dean has also stated that he does like the look of our current tree and agrees that while not ideal- fake trees aren't so bad.)

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    1. yeah we've never had a fake tree growing up but I do think they are a good investment and the nice thing is you don't have to water them and deal with the mass shedding of pine needles. so annoying to clean up!! When are you guys going to FL?

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  4. I'm a little in between. I like white lights on everything (including non-holiday house decor), but I do like the homemade, sentimental ornaments that go back years and years : ) I think it's a little more balanced when the lights are consistent. But I totally get the debate! My family likes to do both a "fun" tree and a "put together" one.

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    1. I like the idea of the white lights and the sentimental ornaments. That's a nice blend between the two! I think I'd be leaning closer to that type of tree as well : )

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  5. I've always had a tree with the colored lights, I love the way they reflect through the ornaments. I wouldn't say it's tacky, just a way to bring some additional holiday light in to the season and really make our place look festive.

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    1. colored lights definitely have a more festive feel to them I must say! thanks for the comments Traci!

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    1. I've never done the all blue lights but I see some people do that with the white trees. Is yours on an all white tree or regular evergreen?

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  7. I prefer white lights and matching ornaments. This year I decorated with white lights and red and golden ornaments.

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    1. ohhh that sounds like a such a pretty color palette! thanks for the comments Rosely! xo

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  8. I like colored lights and a wide assortment of ornaments! I like the look of a tree with white lights and all ornaments matching.. I think it looks classic but kind of boring. I want the tree to reflect us and our personality. I don't think colored lights are tacky. I think they are fun and have more personality.

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    1. thats so true Whitney! I think the white lights/mathching ornaments (though classic) can look generic and not have the families personality. The sentimental ornaments are key!!

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  9. We bought our fake tree this year and it has the option of white light or colored lights. My hubby likes the colored lights but I prefer the white lights. Let's just say that I've not seen it turned on to the colored lights yet.

    Alice
    www.happinessatmidlife.com

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    1. thats the coolest thing I've ever heard! So you can change the setting to either white or colored?? I need to look into this.....thanks Alice!

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  10. We have white lights this year, but I really love both!

    agirlandhersparkles.blogspot.com

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  11. I'm all about the traditional white lights. I have 2 trees as well (both with white lights). One tree has all of my ornaments from childhood up until now. The second tree is my "snowflake tree" with only white and silver decorations :-)

    -AJ
    FitTravelerAJ.com

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  12. I love colored lights with tacky stuff in all its glory, but since I don't own have any tacky ornaments yet my tree is all class this year - white lights, gold and silver ornaments.

    Kristina does the Internets

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    1. haha I love it! and I think it you want that tacky/fun look -- tinsel might be a good way to go!! maybe even on your classy tree!

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  13. I'm definitely a white lights kind of girl!

    xo
    www.style-wire.com

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    1. white lights are always classic! thanks for the comments elissa!

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  14. We just decorated our tree last night and went with colored lights and pink ornaments! : )

    Brooke du jour
    www.brookedujour.com

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  15. We did colored lights this year but I am a big fan of white lights as well. They look so classic!
    xo Dina
    Sweetest Somethings 

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    1. white lights are definitely classic - maybe not as fun to most, but classic and elegant! thanks for the comments dina!

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  16. We do both kind of. White twinkle lights, but hubs wants the bubble lights that remind him of his granny's tree like 100 years ago. So we throw a few strands of them on too. Our tree is pretty but not in a planned way. We passed the point of a themed tree years ago!

    Patrice
    http://dittothatstyle.blogspot.com/

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    1. it's so hard to argue with a guy who wants to be sentimental for his granny's tree! Thanks for the comments Patrice : )

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  17. I rarely see colored lights styled well, especially when it's a string of the entire spectrum. Love how white lights allow the accessories to sing...fa la la la la la la la la! Love this post, so relevant!

    Thank you for visiting love, hope to see you back soon!

    xo-Julie
    Peace. Love. LOL!

    Haute Khuuture Blog

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    1. good point - with white lights you can really focus on the ornaments. I'll use that as a defense for team white lights!! thanks julie!

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  18. There was much debate going on in our house last night as we were decorating the tree (with white lights, of course!). My husband tried to get a set of colored lights up on our light post and for some reason they wouldn't work. I swear I didn't break them, but I was happy they didn't work. I am a white light gal through and through. My husband also likes to put ornaments throughout the house, such as on the mantel, window sills, door frames. He says Christmas needs a bit of tacky. It drives me crazy because I feel like I'm living in a college dorm!

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    1. hahaha that is so funny what your husband wants to do with all those ornaments!! I'm seeing a little bit of a trend here -- the guys are leaning towards fun and tacky looks while us ladies seem to gravitate more towards a classic look. I can totally picture a college dorm right now with those colored lights strung around!

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  19. I do too but I have to admit the colored lights are growing on me -- and my tree does look adorable all tacky and festive! thanks for the comments Christina!

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I love getting and reading all your comments and respond to most of them when I can. Love hearing from you all! xo