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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To hate this about Christmas tree lights?

136 replies

GardenAnarchist · 14/12/2025 08:41

Picture the scene: You've spent ages trimming your Christmas tree with strings of fairy lights, sparkly baubles, shiny tinsel. Gorgeous! Then you switch on the plug socket... and your tree turns into a flashing strobe beacon visible from space. After rescuing any epileptic family members in the vicinity, you grope around the light plug for the control button and it takes 8 (eight) presses through a series of barely distinguishable but eye-watering flickery-flashy-blinky settings, to achieve the steady state of... ON.

Just why??

Why isn't ON the first default setting?
And while we're on that, why is there a setting of "pretend I'm ON, then just as the user withdraws their finger from the button, fade everything to black"?

I have multiple sets of tree lights bought over the last 10 years and they all do this. Some need 8 presses, some 7, some 9 😫 If I put my tree lights on a timer to save electricity, I come downstairs in the morning to a scene like a Star Wars laser battle and have to crawl on the floor to press all the buttons the requisite number of times.

YABU - Only a boring stick in the mud wants a steady glow on the tree. Clearly, at least 8 times more consumers prefer all the other blinky-flashy settings giving the electric storm-cum-Laserquest-kids-birthday-party vibe!

YANBU - Surely there must be a market for tree lights that just have OFF and ON? And maybe a third setting of gentle twinkling?

OP posts:
LionelMushroom · 15/12/2025 21:06

I’m completely with you, so much so I sent the multi-function lights to the charity shop and bought some replacements which are either on or off - they’ve saved my sanity!

lilkitten · 18/12/2025 11:33

Glad it's not just me. I go through the 8 settings to ON, alternatively the slow on and off one. I'm glad I'm not opposite the neighbours who keep theirs on flashing. Why is flashing even a thing, does anyone like it?

SwirlyGates · 18/12/2025 19:36

@lilkitten I quite like a slow fade. But no wild flashing!

deeahgwitch · 18/12/2025 20:44

If anyone comes across a brand of fairy lights that just gently twinkle could you let us know on this thread please.

rockstarshoes · 18/12/2025 23:01

Hooray I’ve found my people! I have mine plugged in on one of the remote plugs so I can switch everything on from one remote control.
So I can sit on the sofa and turn on all the lights but have to get up to perform the 8 clicks to get the Christmas tree lights to static!
it’s infuriating!

FlyingCatGirl · 19/12/2025 06:35

deeahgwitch · 18/12/2025 20:44

If anyone comes across a brand of fairy lights that just gently twinkle could you let us know on this thread please.

I bought some app controlled lights from Amazon last year, they are rainbow colours and a far softer light and have much gentler motions. I can control them from my phone and set timers up etc. you can actually adjust the lights themselves to in terms of coulour and brightness.

This is the sort of thing I bought https://amzn.eu/d/iD9vX69

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

https://amzn.eu/d/iD9vX69?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-5459692-to-hate-this-about-christmas-tree-lights

FlyingCatGirl · 19/12/2025 06:37

Last night I went to sleep and immediately had a really horrible nightmare and I'm suspicious it's because of the fact my bedroom was flashing from my neighbours strobing lights that go on til after midnight! Thank god Christmas is nearly here!

WingsTingle · 19/12/2025 07:33

TeenToTwenties · 14/12/2025 08:44

YANBU. We only use 'steady burn' too.
At least they remember the setting so you don't need to do it each time.

Mine don’t even remember the programme choice so it’s the same palaver every bloody day! 😭

RainBow725 · 19/12/2025 17:52

See also doorbells when the last chime of 1000s of stupid annoying sounds is the ding dong. And woe betide if you press the button by mistake and then have to keep pressing it a thousand times to find the ding dong again. 😫

soupyspoon · 19/12/2025 17:56

Late to this thread, yes yes yes

And I never know what setting its on because you think its 'full on' and then it goes onto something else and then you dont know where you are in the sequence

caramac04 · 19/12/2025 18:04

This drives me mad! It’s 7 presses to a slow fade but I still haven’t found the steady on!
I hate flashing lights, a twinkle is nice, a slow fade ok but flashing? A big fat no from me.
The new lights described above also, supposedly/hope not, will flash in time to music!!!! Thus far I have avoided playing music in that room but what fresh hell awaits???

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