Why don't people use coloured lights anymore?!

[80sColourfulChristmas]

I was born in the early eighties and I have fond memories of colour, colour & more colour at Christmas! We even had those god-awful foil decorations criss-crossing the ceiling of the living room. Foil honeycomb balls dangling and giant unfolded foil stars.

The foil I don't miss particularly, but what has happened to colourful lights?!

I realise that with the (much needed) switch to LED, the new multi coloured lights aren't quite as pretty as they used to be (why is that?!) but why has this meant that seemingly the majority of people have defaulted to a simple set of boring white lights with just a handful of plain, boring ornaments on their tree?! (Still looks pretty of course it just isn't Christmas as I know it!)

I remember looking admirably at our beautiful tree as a child, stuffed full of all kinds of colourful glass ornaments which had been passed down through my Mum's family from the 1800s. The prettiest tinsel you've ever seen, lametta, beads, bells on beads, the lights had lovely cone shaped 'petals' round them so they glowed beautifully, reflecting off the glass, lametta and tinsel. It was stunning. Fond memories.

Can't have just been us, surely? Anyone else still go for the overloaded, 80s style multicolored Christmas look?!

This year I've ordered LED multi coloured cluster lights for the first time, but still have some traditional style lights for the tree and have used them every year until now. Not sure how pretty our tree is going to look....

[TeenPlusTwenties]

We have coloured lights.

The outside ones I am wanting to replace as about a quarter of the bulbs have gone, but haven't found a nice replacement set yet. I did find an 'outside' set but discovered they weren't rain proof.

What I don't do is flashing lights. All our lights are set to steady burn.

[ShivD]

I would love some of the old style coloured lights that were all Twinkley and Jewelly (made up words!) but the LED versions are crap and don’t have all the lovely colours.

I’ve bought tinsel this year for the first time ever as an adult. I’m going old school.

Could you link to the light you bought, please,

[nancybotwinbloom]

We have white lights but whoever I see the coloured lights it gives me really nice memories

[Pipandmum]

We do! Main tree has white twinkly lights and non blinking coloured. I dont like the new led coloured lights though. And our second tree is in a room with pink and orange curtains (they look great, honest) so it's a pink and orange decorations with pink and white lights (couldn't find just orange lights).
I have used red and white lights on another tree when doing a scandi theme.

[AnneKipanki]

Difficult to get . I managed to get some last year to replace a set I bought a year previously. They don't last long .

[Garman]

I have coloured lights only on tree and outside, no white, and I have foil decorations! The more colourful the better for Christmas, for me it's not a time for style/trends etc.

[80sColourfulChristmas]

@ShivD

I would love some of the old style coloured lights that were all Twinkley and Jewelly (made up words!) but the LED versions are crap and don’t have all the lovely colours.

I’ve bought tinsel this year for the first time ever as an adult. I’m going old school.

Could you link to the light you bought, please,

These are the ones I've ordered shorturl.at/dyES1

You can still buy traditional Christmas lights though. Amazon & eBay have plenty. I think Argos do them too. I saw some in my local post office the other day!

[LittleCabbage]

I am so with you OP. I loved the coloured lights, tinsel, etc of the eighties but for years felt as though I should do more "tasteful" white lights and some kind of garlands instead of tinsel, just because that seemed the done thing. But our tree just never felt pleasing.

The year before last, I abandoned the modern rubbish, changed to coloured lights (agree - have to be static, not flashing, although a slow and gentle twinkle would be acceptable), added fat strands of tinsel, and continued with all the stuff our kids make, and it was finally pleasing.

Tree being delivered on Friday...... can't wait!

[AlexisIsMySpiritAnimal]

We have coloured lights! I went through a classy, white only stage but I've found my way back

[80sColourfulChristmas]

@Garman

I have coloured lights only on tree and outside, no white, and I have foil decorations! The more colourful the better for Christmas, for me it's not a time for style/trends etc.

Exactly!!

The only reason I've ordered these cluster lights is because I CANNOT put regular chain lights onto a tree to save my life. I ended up crying last year in very tired frustration!!!

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

We have coloured lights. They aren't as bright and garish as the ones we had as children but they look very pretty against my white tree. Only downside is they are battery operated rather than mains. Although maybe batteries are cheaper/better then electric.

[AlexisIsMySpiritAnimal]

We have an outside tree with colours on too, I tried to get Dh to do it today but he wouldn't

[CantBeAssed]

Iv done white for the last 20years, funny enough iv ordered some multicoloured lights last week...think im feeling a lot more nostalgic this year

[thenightsky]

I got sick of boring white, so last December I went to the Range and bought a big box of multi coloured ones. They have a 'twinkle' setting that works perfectly. One thing I would say though is, buy twice as many as you think you'll need. I have a 6ft tree with 360 bulbs which is just about right.

[Lazysundayafternoons]

I always put coloured lights outside.
Usually have white/yellow lights inside but am reverting to colour this year as I have a 1yo and I think hed love the colour.

[Rosalisa]

I loved the coloured lights my parents had in the seventies. They were shaped like lanterns and bluebells. The jewel colours always seemed synonymous with Quality Street chocolates to me.

Not a fan of electric blue flashing lights. My former neighbours opposite had them and it'd take me weeks to stop thinking the emergency services were outside.

[StarsOnAMat]

I managed to get coloured lights in Poundstretchers a few years ago. Some of the bulbs have gone but the string still works as long as the bulb is there. LEDs just don’t have the same glow. We have a bit of a family thing where we like to buy a Christmas decoration when we go on holiday and I’ve been given some as presents so I have decorations on almost every branch. And tinsel. I tried it bare one year and hated it, despite the number of hanging ornaments I have!

[mrsdavegrohl]

I have 2 trees. A green with multicoloured lights, all the tat decorations and all the kids handmade ones then a snow covered green tree with only warm white lights, white baubles and silvery/white tinsel.

[GertiMJN]

The memories of childhood are so powerful aren't they?

I was born in the early eighties and I have fond memories of colour, colour & more colour at Christmas! We even had those god-awful foil decorations criss-crossing the ceiling of the living room. Foil honeycomb balls dangling and giant unfolded foil stars.

I'm a couple if decades older and my memories are of tissue paper decorations. Strings of concertina garlands, honeycomb bells and balls and lick&stick paper chains. We also folded crepe paper ones too.
I remember being horrified by the new fangled foil versions But yes colour all the way.

And the endless wait as every bulb in the set had to be checked by replacing so you could find the bulb that had blown.

Happy memories

[NerdyBird]

We have just got a set of coloured lights for outside. We have white on the tree. We have loads of different decorations from over the years so it's never going to be a quietly tasteful tree!

[Mumdiva99]

I have multicoloured tree lights. And a multicoloured tree. I grew up in a house where the tree was never 'fashionable' and longed for a colour co-ordinated less is more approach. So I did that when I left home.

Then I had kids and we made decorations, and buy them together, and they want to decorate the tree. So now it's more is more. More colour, more Decs, more memories.

Maybe in later life I'll go tasteful again.....but probably not.

[happymummy12345]

We have both, 1 set of multicoloured and 1 set of warm white. I hate colour schemes or themes for Christmas trees as well. Our tree is literally everything, loads of colours, no order. What I call very traditional. I love it

[thenightsky]

I'm a couple if decades older and my memories are of tissue paper decorations. Strings of concertina garlands, honeycomb bells and balls and lick&stick paper chains. We also folded crepe paper ones too.

Oh yes, the joy of twirling open that honeycomb bell that was a bit faded on the edges. And buying those packs of lick and stick coloured paper to make paper chains. And the folded crepe paper strips that made box pleats.

[happymummy12345]

Oh and no flashing lights, always static. Hate flashing lights

[pinkearedcow]

I have these, and I love them.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-500-led-berry-lights-multi-l19m/p4073048