Christmas light ideas for a winter wonderland at home

12 November 2021

Christmas is a special time of year for many – you get to reminisce about past Christmases with the family as you decorate the tree and the house together. This year, make the festive season even more memorable by trying out these Christmas light decorating ideas for your traditions.

Tired of crawling under the tree to plug in the lights? Or standing on your tiptoes to unplug them before bed? With a Philips Hue smart plug, those Christmas tree troubles are long gone. Plug the tree lights into the Hue smart plug to turn them on and off with ease – and no needles in your hair. 

The Hue smart plug lets you control your Christmas tree lights just like you would any other Philips Hue light: with the Hue app, a smart accessory or your voice.

Bright idea: set a routine in the Hue app that turns your Christmas tree lights on just before you wake up in the morning and turns them off once you go to bed – automatically.

Opening presents is one of the most anticipated parts of Christmas. Make the treasure trove under the tree even more tantalising by nestling a Hue Go among the gifts. Angle the smart lamp up through the branches to add a unique touch to your festive decor.

Bright idea: if the kids are a little too interested in the presents waiting for them under the tree, set up a Hue motion sensor alongside your Hue Go. When they get too close, the lights will turn on – and they’ll know that Father Christmas is watching.

Ditch traditional Christmas string lights and use lightstrips instead. Because the lightstrip is flexible, you can weave it into your garland or tuck it around the back of the tree. Place one behind a side table or cabinet and position your festive knick-knacks in front of it – you can even put fake snow on top for an extra glow!

Bright idea: when you set the scene in the room, tap the play icon in the scene card to make it dynamic. Your colour-capable lights will cycle through the colours of that scene to add drama to your festive decor.

No Christmas dinner is complete without a festive centrepiece, so whether you craft your own arrangement or opt for a shop-bought bouquet, you can set it aglow with the soft light of a Flourish pendant light. Best yet: the Flourish Pendant light features millions of colours of light, so you can complement your centrepiece with just the right shade.

Bright idea: if you have multiple Philips Hue lights in your smart lighting system, you may have them separated into corresponding Rooms in the Hue app. Create a Zone to include all the lights in the area of your festive set-up to quickly set the Christmas cheer throughout your whole home.

The Iris table lamp features both a subtle backlight and a main light – best when pointed at the wall – so you can accent your festive decor any way you like. Angle it at your tiny Christmas village or let it wash over the wall behind your favourite snowman figurine.

Bright idea: make it snow! Attach paper snowflakes to the ceiling with fishing line – but be sure to position them between the wall and your Iris table lamp. When the light shines, the snowflakes create interesting shadows on the wall behind them for a wintry look.

Nothing says December like outdoor Christmas lights on your home. Choose colours that match your home's exterior: string larger lights along the eaves of the roof, then smaller icicle-style lights underneath for a crisp, clean look, or use rainbow lights for a non-traditional feel.

Bright idea: Philips Hue smart outdoor lights can effortlessly enhance your outdoor Christmas lighting set-up. Set colour-capable outdoor lights, such as Lily spot lights to festive-themed tones to really give your home a wonderful feel.

Create a traditional red and green theme, go modern with a silvery-blue scene or use a completely different colour palette for Christmas with the Philips Hue app. How you decorate your home for Christmas is personal – including the way you use Christmas smart lights.