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Really Red
Pea-ceful and Hap-pea
PeaNut 24,951
November 2001
Posts: 8,160
Layouts: 1
 |  Posted: 12/3/2012 11:30:48 AM
I finally broke down and got a couple of $$$ sets for one of my three trees. We all HATE that tree. It hurts our eyes.
I have no extra lights for outside this year, so I need to buy some, but 1) LED lights are way too expensive; 2) our neighbor has them and they are HIDEOUS and 3) it's really hard to find non-LED lights.
What to do? What does anyone do? Do people really like these? Particularly inside? |
Andrea
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; But often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller | |
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alisatj
PeaFixture
PeaNut 129,041
February 2004
Posts: 3,650
Layouts: 62
Loc: MD
 |  Posted: 12/3/2012 11:33:28 AM
We have them on our tree inside and they've never bothered us  . Ours do have a hard plastic shell around each of them though - maybe that diffuses the light? | |
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FlaMom
Thread Killer Extraordinaire
PeaNut 29,166
February 2002
Posts: 6,005
Layouts: 12
Loc: BFE
| Posted: 12/3/2012 11:37:13 AM
I don't like them. Too bright/harsh. |
Tammy
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bugluver
PeaAddict
PeaNut 371,264
April 2008
Posts: 1,403
Layouts: 0
Loc: St. Louis
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 11:43:41 AM
We do not like them either and have scrambled a few ties to buy replacements as needed. | |
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Kerry in CT
PeaFixture
PeaNut 23,966
October 2001
Posts: 3,691
Layouts: 0
Loc: Connecticut
| Posted: 12/3/2012 11:45:00 AM
We are removing the ones we put outside on our 14' tree two years ago because we dislike them. All that money down the drain, but we will be much happier.
I just found some regular ones for our office tree at Walgreens this weekend, try there if you have one. |
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PEArfect
AncestralPea
PeaNut 452,048
January 2010
Posts: 4,464
Layouts: 0
Loc: Indiana
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 11:46:32 AM
I like LED lights for outdoors, but they are to bright for indoors (imho.) I just bought more blue LED lights for outside. They're on sale at Target. I also saw regular lights at Target, and I've seen them at Walmart too. |
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S_cR_aP_Booker
PeaAddict
PeaNut 400,592
November 2008
Posts: 1,297
Layouts: 0
Loc: Mississippi
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 11:52:35 AM
Sorry, I don't like them either, especially the blue ones. They make my head hurt. | |
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peano
Lead With Love
PeaNut 43,034
July 2002
Posts: 6,188
Layouts: 4
Loc: Connecticut
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 11:59:27 AM
I think they're hideous--the quality of light is blue and harsh. I much prefer the warm glow of the incandescent bulbs. |
My stuff:
Canon 7D
Canon Rebel XT
kit lens 18-55mm
28-135mm IS 3.5-5.6
50mm 1.8
85mm 1.8
580EXII Speedlite
CS5
LR4
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PierKiss
What if everything is an illusion & nothing exists
PeaNut 82,319
April 2003
Posts: 14,412
Layouts: 39
| Posted: 12/3/2012 12:03:41 PM
I admit that I prefer the look of the older christmas lights. But, my electric bill much prefers the LED lights. We bought the mini led lights for use inside, and on the tree we have the LED lights that have the old fashioned looking covers over the bulb part. I think we got those at Home Depot last year. They're by Martha Stewart. What really bugs me about the LED lights is that they do not photograph the same way as the older lights.
I'm pretty sure Target has non-LED lights.  |
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UkSue
AncestralPea
PeaNut 428,374
June 2009
Posts: 4,228
Layouts: 2
Loc: Greater London
| Posted: 12/3/2012 12:03:44 PM
I have the soft glow LED lights and they are really nice. I got them after Christmas 2 years ago so I got them 75% off too  |
| Love is short, forgetting is long, and understanding longer still. | |
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~*kristina*~
Typical Liberal Pea
PeaNut 55,230
November 2002
Posts: 17,499
Layouts: 106
Loc: Hawkeye Nation
| Posted: 12/3/2012 12:06:04 PM
I love them for outdoor illumination! |
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MerryMom937
PeaFixture
PeaNut 472,567
June 2010
Posts: 3,076
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 12:06:14 PM
Michaels, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. all have the regular mini lights.
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Ginger21
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 235,294
December 2005
Posts: 11,528
Layouts: 2
Loc: PA
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 12:09:02 PM
I tried them last year and hated them. They were multi colored and seemed dark. They didn't even light the room like my regular ones. They also don't twinkle. I donated them to the school this year and bought white twinkle lights at Lowes as soon as I saw them in the stores this year.
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asr70
PeaAddict
PeaNut 508,279
May 2011
Posts: 1,047
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/3/2012 12:21:20 PM
I'd like to like them for the sake of my pocketbook but they hurt my eyes. They are better outdoors, from a distance, but we walked past some on a fence last night and I just couldn't look at them. |
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azredhead34
peaintheheat
PeaNut 2,698
February 2000
Posts: 27,076
Layouts: 272
Loc: Mesa, Arizona
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 12:22:13 PM
I think they're too dark. I wanted to do my blue white icicle lights, we got them up and then half of them didn't work so we had to put the LED ones we had but I think they are really dull. I want the bright original ones! |
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purpledaisy
Calm
PeaNut 116,261
November 2003
Posts: 25,154
Layouts: 102
| Posted: 12/3/2012 1:00:13 PM
I really, really dislike them!!! They hurt my eyes and they don't give off that warm, welcoming glow! |
Becca
May we be consumed with the Creator of all things rather than with things created.
6 rings - no cheating! Go STEELERS!
Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free in your head. | |
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JamieH
AncestralPea
PeaNut 39,057
May 2002
Posts: 4,572
Layouts: 0
Loc: Texas
| Posted: 12/3/2012 1:19:55 PM
Honestly, they are awful!
JMHO,
JamieH |
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Josie*R
BucketHead
PeaNut 93,702
July 2003
Posts: 733
Layouts: 50
Loc: Chicago
| Posted: 12/3/2012 1:23:04 PM
I hate them. I always buy a real tree but this year with toddler I bought a fake, so I bought some new lights. Thought I would try the LED, did the whole tree and disliked it. I even left them on for a couple of days - nope. What I disliked the most...was at night when all the lights were off and you just have the tree on..it was not that warm fuzzy twinkle..
They all came off and the tree came down, I found a prelit one with the the lights I like at American Sales...
The salesman was telling me last year they brought in a huge amount of LED prelit trees and they had a 62% return rate, this year they only brought in 2 - most people I think dislike them! |
My Blog: http://asimpleeverydaylife.blogspot.com/
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Mystie
Dancing to the end of love.
PeaNut 8,446
December 2000
Posts: 11,790
Layouts: 173
Loc: Newport News, VA
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 1:46:29 PM
I hate them, too, the light is so cold and ugly. Maybe I should go out and stock up on the nice lights before they stop making them.  |
Janelle
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CraftChickaPowPow
PeaAddict
PeaNut 477,269
August 2010
Posts: 1,455
Layouts: 0
Loc: N 4720.2 W 12206.2
| Posted: 12/3/2012 1:56:37 PM
I hate those things too! |
| They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken. | |
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janet r
AncestralPea
PeaNut 22,327
October 2001
Posts: 4,073
Layouts: 17
| Posted: 12/3/2012 2:01:15 PM
I hate them too. They are hideous. | |
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vspindler
Scrappin C-Pea-A
PeaNut 36,141
April 2002
Posts: 9,596
Layouts: 183
Loc: Pea-town, WI
| Posted: 12/3/2012 2:39:52 PM
I hate the cold blue white lights, but I purchased warm white lights for the tree. My husband did make me cut back on the number of strands because I went overboard last year and it was a tad bright in the house with a 10 ft tree.
We did switch to LED outside, colored big bulbs which I will admit I do not like as much. While the white in the house seemed bright the colors seem dim outside. MUCH cheaper to use though, and easier with the ability to string more strands together. I am getting used to them. |
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peapermint
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 9,321
January 2001
Posts: 8,590
Layouts: 0
Loc: all up in your business
| Posted: 12/3/2012 2:45:31 PM
I hate them! They don't look like "real" lights.
I posted a picture of my tree on Facebook and several of my hippie friends handslapped me for using the "old" lights. One of my FB friends even linked to some program where you can get a rebate for swapping old to LED and I was, like, I can afford it -- I just choose not to. | |
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sunny_day
BucketHead
PeaNut 138,856
March 2004
Posts: 905
Layouts: 12
Loc: Chicago West Suburbs
| Posted: 12/3/2012 3:23:49 PM
I have to agree. I do not like them AT.ALL. | |
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fruitysuet
2Ps Digital Creative Team
PeaNut 151,913
June 2004
Posts: 7,966
Layouts: 1,006
Loc: Derbyshire, England
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 3:28:19 PM
Don't like but can tolerate. HATE the blue with a vengeance.
Our older lights ended up more bulbs out than working and we couldn't find replacement bulbs anywhere. Had to go with led's for replacement but we had white and they are only for the gables outside the house so I don't have to look at them lol! |
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Shih Tzu Mommy
Million dollar camera, 10 dollar lock!
PeaNut 224,352
September 2005
Posts: 23,525
Layouts: 0
Loc: Right here
| Posted: 12/3/2012 3:38:59 PM
I cannot stand LED lights. ICK!
I saw a LOT of non-LED at Target this weekend, if that helps! |
Dog people are a special breed! | |
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CMCLisa
PeaNut
PeaNut 103,722
August 2003
Posts: 299
Layouts: 4
Loc: Westland, MI
| Posted: 12/3/2012 3:47:23 PM
We switched over to LED last year - the bright white ones were awful. We got the "warm" ones - they are much better! Maybe they'll come up with a toned down version of the colored lights, too. |
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GenealoPea
AncestralPea
PeaNut 54,671
November 2002
Posts: 4,449
Layouts: 20
Loc: Charlotte
| Posted: 12/3/2012 3:47:53 PM
Two of the forty-odd houses in our subdivision have LED lights outside. The rest have regular lights. The lights on the two houses just look awful - the rest of the houses look merry and warm, those houses look like they're still working on Halloween. |
Karen
***It's never too late to live happily ever after!***
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janguy
BucketHead
PeaNut 270,566
July 2006
Posts: 1,161
Layouts: 79
Loc: Montreal
 | Posted: 12/3/2012 3:58:31 PM
Hate them. When the old ones are no longer available, I won't be decorating for Christmas anymore. |
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nighthawk
PeaFixture
PeaNut 118,730
December 2003
Posts: 3,444
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/3/2012 4:31:56 PM
I love them. But then I"m a geek and liked LEDs before they came out in Christmas light.
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gavinsmom
AncestralPea
PeaNut 9,019
January 2001
Posts: 4,555
Layouts: 22
Loc: michigan
| Posted: 12/3/2012 4:38:59 PM
ick! I don't like the neon glow they give! |
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Amber!
PeaFixture
PeaNut 84,763
May 2003
Posts: 3,443
Layouts: 57
Loc: California
| Posted: 12/3/2012 4:39:08 PM
I hate the blue LEDs. The bright colors of some of the multi ones are okay, but I still prefer the old style. I did, however, get LEDs for one of my trees, but I got the tiny bulbs with the "warm white." The "cool white" just gives off too much of a blue tinge.
My whole outside is C9 bulbs around the whole house, haha! Then on bushes we purposefully bought the old style mini lights. Fortunately, all the big box stores around here still carry both. |
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Nantini
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 274,935
August 2006
Posts: 5,099
Layouts: 8
| Posted: 12/3/2012 4:40:33 PM
I refuse to even use them until they come out with some not visible to other planets. They are way to bright and obnoxious for my taste.
Damn neighbor across the street has mimicked everything we've done in our yard, but it is in those hideous LED lights. I swear I'm taking his blow up Santa and Reindeer out by next week. |
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*Fresca*
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 204,709
May 2005
Posts: 2,711
Layouts: 0
Loc: Northern Illinois
| Posted: 12/3/2012 6:28:19 PM
My friend's husband switched all their Christmas lights to LED, his wife won't even turn them on because she is so unhappy with the way they look. I don't like the brightness of the LED lights, it is way too harsh. |
*Debbie*
*****Today I will be happy as a bird with a frenchfry***** | |
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Restless Spirit
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 218,419
August 2005
Posts: 5,855
Layouts: 4
| Posted: 12/3/2012 7:15:18 PM
We are completely switching over our outdoor Christmas lights this year at my DH's insistence. I can not begin to tell you how much I hate them. Ugh.
I picked out our new pre-lit artificial Christmas tree 2 hrs ago - and I picked a tree with the old- style mini- lights. The tree is flocked and has a woodland theme. There was no way I wanted a tree with garish mini- lights!
Karen | |
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Pamelou
BucketHead
PeaNut 99,641
August 2003
Posts: 789
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/3/2012 7:36:43 PM
Yuck...they really are awful...seeing more and more of them around...awful. | |
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shescrafty2
PeaFixture
PeaNut 178,427
November 2004
Posts: 3,343
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/3/2012 7:51:54 PM
We have them outside and my DH and I both like them. We have multi-colored ones and they look quite festive. They look like the old school bulbs and so far all of our neighbors have told us they like them so either we are all delusional or they look nice 
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your true character is shown not by how you treat people you agree with, but how you treat those you don't
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KatieBPea
PeaFixture
PeaNut 30,940
February 2002
Posts: 3,944
Layouts: 0
Loc: NJ
| Posted: 12/3/2012 8:03:06 PM
I saw a lot of LEDs in my neighborhood tonight when I was driving home, and boy, they are hard on the eyes.
One house had a beautiful design with the roof and house completely outlined, bushes, trees--but the bright white LEDs made it where I could hardly look at it.
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cbee
PeaAddict
PeaNut 383,986
July 2008
Posts: 1,040
Layouts: 18
Loc: Washington
| Posted: 12/3/2012 10:08:55 PM
Always get warm white and you'll be fine, hard to find. I have been buying mine at Lowes..GE LED warm white icicle style and other styles. I buy before Thanksgiving when they have lots of choices. |
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calialli
PeaAddict
PeaNut 356,810
January 2008
Posts: 1,073
Layouts: 27
Loc: cali
| Posted: 12/3/2012 10:17:00 PM
I hate them too..dh doesn't seem to mind. There is no way those things are coming inside my house. |
formally scrappyalaska-but I moved =/
createdmemories.etsy.com
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Really Red
Pea-ceful and Hap-pea
PeaNut 24,951
November 2001
Posts: 8,160
Layouts: 1
| Posted: 12/4/2012 9:42:19 AM
I refuse to even use them until they come out with some not visible to other planets.
Haha! I am just very happy to find such a consensus, barring our one IT freak 
I am not going to break down and get them. I will find enough of the others elsewhere. Our Target had them, but they are all out now. |
Andrea
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; But often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller | |
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luvcookies
PeaAddict
PeaNut 409,644
January 2009
Posts: 1,914
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/4/2012 9:58:10 AM
I like them, but Ive used them for years so In used to them. We use the warm white inside, and multi color outside.
We even have a tree with the blue because my son wanted them.
Our neighborhood is about 50/50 led and non led. |
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lavawalker
AncestralPea
PeaNut 231,165
November 2005
Posts: 4,389
Layouts: 0
Loc: The Golden State
| Posted: 12/4/2012 5:56:39 PM
Ugh.... We decided to try them on our tree this year. Couldn't stand them and took them back to the store and got regular old lights. Look so much prettier. I told dh when we put the LED's on the tree it looked like Las Vegas....  | |
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h*pea*ing
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 231,164
November 2005
Posts: 5,104
Layouts: 8
Loc: Midwest
| Posted: 12/4/2012 6:16:38 PM
There are two houses on the street done in LED and they stand out like site thumbs. I did more decorating outside than normal and had run out of lights. I went to four places before I could find someone that had the normal white lights in stock. While I was clearing out a bunch for what I needed there was some more guy on the phone next to me talking to his wife I presume about the light shortage in town. I normally stock up after Christmas but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to do that this year. |
~heather~
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yungmom
Just Me
PeaNut 15,437
May 2001
Posts: 28,629
Layouts: 111
Loc: Salt Lake
| Posted: 12/4/2012 6:29:19 PM
I like them...sometimes. And sometimes I hate them. It really depends on what LED lights you get. Love my all red LED lights that are on my porch rail and on my roof line. I like my warm white ones, but don't love them like I did my regular lights. I have hope for them though because the warm white are a lot better than the cool ones that used to be the only ones you could get. |
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Really Red
Pea-ceful and Hap-pea
PeaNut 24,951
November 2001
Posts: 8,160
Layouts: 1
| Posted: 12/4/2012 9:17:08 PM
I have one of my trees decorated in them, I mentioned, and now we've lived with it for one week. Completely decorated. We hate it so much we're going to start over, so anyone who has ever decorated a tree, knows how bad it must be.
Headed out tomorrow to see what I can find. |
Andrea
When one door of happiness closes, another opens; But often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller | |
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BuckeyeSandy
Old Dogs are Best!
PeaNut 92,987
June 2003
Posts: 22,350
Layouts: 364
Loc: With my dogs
| Posted: 12/4/2012 11:06:10 PM
I am NOT a fan either of the LED lights.
I brought a set of "warm" white lights, not close at all. |
Sandy
Every MOM is a working mom!
"Retired" after 22 years of an Air Force Career
REMEMBER this Veterans Day
To quote Wayne Gretzky, "You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
Aesculus | |
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MerryMom937
PeaFixture
PeaNut 472,567
June 2010
Posts: 3,076
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/5/2012 8:32:41 AM
If the LED lights are used inside, I would recommend using the micro LED lights. If you are getting "white lights", be sure to get the ones labeled "warm white" and not "cool white". If it isn't labeled as warm or cool, then they are the "cool white" ones.
Inside the house on a tree or for greenery, I think the micro LED lights look better.
For "exterior illumination", for some reason the multi-color LED lights just don't look right to me. A neighbor of mine has a small stand of about 9 birch trees at the front corner of their property. They wrapped each tree in a different solid color LED light (blue, green, red, gold/yellow, pink, and purple). The trees look nice that way
I still buy the regular kind though as I have a lot of lights outside and I already invested $$$ in those lights. LED lights are still too pricey for me. | |
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