I always have a hard time following the unwritten rule of taking down the Christmas lights after the new year.
What a silly rule. The days are short and gloomy and the fun of the holidays is over. Seems like that is when we really need a little cheerful lighting to lift our spirits.
Well this year, I found a few simple and classy lighting ideas that can continue to shine all winter – and even beyond.
Charming
With these pretty strands of mini lights on bendable, silver-toned wire, it’s easy to create all sorts of sweet little vignettes. The tiny LED lights have a warm white glow.
They have a battery pack that can easily be hidden. In the photo above, the battery pack is under the angel.
They are fun for lighting up arrangements where a corded light would be unsightly or impossible. In the photo below, the battery pack is hidden under a pine cone.
I’m looking forward to using them in centerpieces and for special occasions year-round.
The creative possibilities for these tiny lights are endless.
The batteries last 48 hours, and there is an on-off switch on the battery pack. So it’s best to place the battery pack where it can be easily reached.
Nostalgic
Now that our greenhouse is almost finished, I am very eager to find the right lighting and have been imagining something involving old-fashioned, Edison-style filament bulbs.
I came across a strand of glass Christmas lights that gave me the look instantly.
I just love the industrial vibe they lend – perfect for a greenhouse.
I will leave these lights in the greenhouse until I find permanent lighting.
Although they are marketed as Christmas lights, their simple design can easily work year-round. I’m looking forward to using them in summer for evening garden parties.
Winter
Right before Thanksgiving, something unfortunate happened to my mother, Erika: She walked into a store and was exposed to an excessive display of gaudy Christmas decorations, causing her to come down with an early case of “holiday overload.”
So she decided to take a year off from having a conventional Christmas tree. Instead, she used some fresh, green branches from a curly willow and some small white lights to create this wintry look.
She placed a metal grid inside a large plastic pot to anchor the branches and then poured in sand to give the base some weight and to help keep the branches in place.
Since this is not a Christmas tree, she can keep this look long after the new year.
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Sources:
Disclosure: Affiliate links used.
- Tiny battery-operated lights on silver-toned wire: Micro LED Super Bright Warm White Lights
- Edison-style lights: Vickerman Nostalgic 10 Light Strand
- Clear white lights on hard-to-find brown wire: Vickerman Clear Mini Christmas Lights on Brown Wire
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Great ideas, Heidi! Thanks for sharing. jw
Hey Janis! Glad you enjoyed it. Heidi
Wow your mom’s winter tree is gorgeous! I’m going to try to something like this! We have not yet got a tree so this will be fun! Thanks for the great tips!
Thanks Joanie! Mom comes up with some great ideas. She is always thinking outside of the box.