Living room with Christmas tree and TV with two Philips Hue Play light bars

Christmas light ideas for a winter wonderland at home

26 October, 2022

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 holiday season even more memorable by trying out these Christmas light decorating ideas for your traditions.

"A living room decorated for Christmas in blue, green, and red light. "

Control your Christmas tree lights with a smart plug

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.

Christmas gifts under a tree illuminated by a Hue Go smart light.

Nestle a Hue Go among the gifts

Opening presents is one of the most anticipated parts of Christmas. Make the treasure trove under the tree even more tantalizing by nestling a Hue Go among the gifts. Angle the smart lamp up through the branches to add a unique touch to your holiday 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 turn on — and they’ll know that Santa is watching.

Create a festive feel with lightstrips

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 holiday knickknacks 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 color-capable lights will cycle through the colors of that scene to add drama to your holiday decor.

Give your holiday centerpiece a cozy glow

No Christmas dinner is complete without a festive centerpiece, so whether you craft your own arrangement or opt for a store-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 colors of light, so you can complement your centerpiece 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 holiday setup to quickly set the Christmas cheer throughout your whole home.

Christmas decorations highlighted by a smart table lamp lit to green.

Light up decorations with an Iris table lamp

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

Christmas decorations on a front porch with smart outdoor lighting.

Outdoor Christmas lighting ideas to illuminate Rudolph's way

Nothing says December like outdoor Christmas lights on your home. Choose colors 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 setup. Set color-capable outdoor lights, such as Lily spot lights to holiday-themed tones to really give your home a festive feel.

Create a traditional red and green theme, go modern with a silvery blue scene, or use a completely different color 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.

More Christmas inspiration from Philips Hue

*When a bulb displays "Up to" a certain number of lumens in its specifications, it displays the maximum lumen output of the bulb. It shows how bright the bulb can get at 2700 K (White bulbs) or 4000 K (White ambiance or White and color ambiance bulbs). Learn more about brightness