I grew up in the Washington, D.C., suburbs of Virginia and each twelvemonth, we had a long-needled white pine Christmas tree with colorful lights and handmade ornaments. Outside, our house was all aflame, besides, with big, fat, vivid bulbs wrapped around trees, shrubs, bushes and more trees. Seriously, the more than the meliorate. Our house was downwardly a long, private driveway off a cul-de-sac, and then the lights really were for our eyes only. My mom would muse near how many more than lights we'd have if our house was one that people could actually drive by …

A 1978 Christmas Tree ... which to you prefer, white lights or multicolored lights?

My Christmas tree, circa 1978. And yes, I think that is a snow shovel nether the tree … which I think was on MY Christmas list!

We would have purposeful drives to look at lights, and the ones I e'er constitute myself drawn to were the opposite of what we had. I marveled at homes outlined so perfectly with their elegant, white lights. The homes with just one candle light in each window sill. The homes with their Christmas tree adjacent to the front windows shining with their white light sophistication. Oh, to accept a house with white lights!

Every bit an adult, when I finally bought my own tree and put on my own lights, they were white, and my tree was as cute equally I had always imagined information technology would be. And yet, equally my kids started to grow up, I was struck by the sense of nostalgia that the holidays bring; when I would run into a tree with multicolored lights, information technology surprised me how much I missed them. How could this exist?! I fought it for years — I was a white lights girl! — but I missed the homey quality and bit of chaotic charm that the colorful lights can bring.

So my reply was that I got two copse. One for multicolored lights, the big tree, with well-nigh of our ornaments. Then, the smaller tree, which sat atop a table, strung with white lights and adorned with all of our Santa-themed ornaments. This satisfied both of my yearnings. This year, though, nosotros decided to go with simply i tree, and we went with multicolored lights without a giving information technology a second idea. To me, they are just habitation. My past. My comfort.

Multicolored lights or white lights? We've gone with multicolored!

Our tree 2015. We however need to get ornaments on, just that's happening this weekend!

Talking nearly Christmas tree light preferences with friends fabricated it clear: there is a definite divide. You lot take very loyal #teamwhitelights people and #teammulticoloredlights people! We chosen up some of Nashville'due south most notable interior designers and asked them their preferences. Here is what they had to say:

Roger Higgins of R. Higgins Interiors — "I personally honey white lights. I but recall it's is and then much prettier, but I do appreciate a vintage feel with the multicolored lights in a mix of large and pocket-sized bulbs. It can exist so appealing and a break from the norm and the expected. I think my white low-cal preference dates dorsum to my childhood. Our family unit Christmas tree barbarous over on me when I was immature, and those giant multicolored bulbs really burned! I have had a stiff distaste for them ever since."

Julie Brown and Amber Thomas of Providence Interiors —"We are definitely in the white lights camp. Count united states of america in for the #teamwhitelights! All of the states at Providence Interiors utilize white lights today. Some of us converted to white lights in the '80s and '90s; some of us accept always used white lights. We all hold, white lights work peachy with the neutral, soft tones nosotros love — metallics, creamy ivory, soft dejection and soft greens. White lights seam to reflect a peaceful, silent and holy night and brand the carols ring true."

Are you a white lights Christmas tree person or a multi-colored lights Christmas tree person? This beautiful tree is found at Providence Interiors. The white lights are looking mighty gorgeous!

This cute tree is plant at Providence Interiors. The white lights are looking mighty gorgeous!

Beth Haley of Beth Haley Blueprint —"I dearest the simplicity and subtle nature of white lights. Their sparkle highlights whatsoever they beautify, highlighting the objects themselves. Fifty-fifty used lonely they create a magical aura suggesting a pause to the viewer. The viewer slows down to discover what is lit. The emphasis is on what is displayed, rather and then the lights. Colored lights draw attention on themselves creating a feeling that may or may not exist with the object lone. White allows the object to polish and sparkle on its own accord. Feelings are open to the viewer. Colored lights create a feeling based on their color alone. Equally with about things in pattern, lighting is nearly feeling and especially tiny-light lighting. Make your choices based on feelings you want to evoke."

Chad James of Chad James Grouping —"My personal favorite for the tree in my dwelling house is multicolor. At that place's a sure nostalgia with colored lights and Christmas for me. They remind me of very happy times spent with family and friends."

Mark Simmons of Mark Simmons Interiors —"We typically employ white lights on ours, although a couple of times nosotros mixed just a few of the large one-time-fashioned colored lights into our tree with lots of the mini lights and loved the way that looked. This year, nosotros accept done something different for us and got a flocked tree and busy information technology with white lights and all golden and silvery ornaments."

Kathleen Evers of Chiliad Evers Interiors — "My preference depends on the mode/color of the room and type of holiday ornaments that are used. I use white lights on my living room tree considering I've got gold, silverish, white and blush ornaments. White does better with cooler tones and metallic sparkly themed copse. I utilize white lights in more formal settings or when using unusual colors like aqua or lime green.

"Colored lights are better on more coincidental copse or where red/light-green ornaments are used. I accept colored lights on my great room tree, because I use burgundy/gilded ribbon with lots of traditional glass ornaments that have been given equally gifts over the years. I include my children's handmade grade school ornaments for a sentimental bear upon."

Sara Ray of Sara Ray Interiors —"From an interior blueprint standpoint, I prefer white lights on a Christmas tree. White lights with a warm glow, not the cool white (almost blue) color that some LEDs requite off. I love having the colors come from other sources, like ribbons, ornaments, accessories and accent pieces. I'thousand a minimalist by nature, so white lights seem to go along with that artful.

"Now, from a mom standpoint, it'due south a dissimilar story! I permit my two-year-sometime and five-year-quondam sons cull the tree this year, and they selected a multicolored, lit flocked tree. I was mortified! It actually turned out fine, and I like it more than than I idea I would. Multicolored lights brand sense for kids. They too make sense for copse adorned with bright, kid-crafted ornaments. I wouldn't give up using those ornaments for anything. So my opinion is, if you can accept two trees, do an adult tree and a kid tree, and you'll make everyone happy!"

Julie Burrow of Julie Couch Interiors — "It's absolutely truthful that white is my favorite colour in all things! White lights feel magical to me, and they are one of the only things I tin't imagine having too many of! They elegantly illuminate both interiors and exteriors, regardless of scale or fashion, and are equally as beautiful mixed with vibrant colors or soft neutrals."

Dana Goodman of Dana Goodman Interiors — "My preference in lights has inverse about like my preference of hairstyles and lipstick! In the past, I was all about the "designer" tree look, which could be described every bit all-white lights, gold, silver and crystal-clear ornaments. Pearls and gold baubles and chaplet strung from height to bottom. My affections was certainly dressed in the gold look as well. It was all oh-so-sparkly!!

"Equally of late, I have returned to the nostalgic, multicolored lights — the more the better, and size doesn't matter! Information technology'south all almost the Christmas memories and the spectrum of colors reflecting on our family vintage ornaments that creates a sense of peace and meaning to my soul. Just for the record … I am neutral when information technology comes to the blinking lights or not. LOL!"

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