There is a general impression that Xmas lights are for the festivities of late December only, but this is not true as fairy lights can be used at any time. However, it is true that rarely is there an event that demands such a large investment in lighting for such a long period of time. For this reason, lights are expected to last for several years, and home owners will find themselves collecting additional pieces to build the overall decoration that will impress neighbours and passers by.

The fact that the Xmas period lasts for almost a month provides the perfect excuse to invest in elaborate lighting displays, while the fact that the event comes around every year also makes an investment worthwhile. Weddings may make use of wedding lighting, but it is ideally a once in a lifetime event and anniversaries rarely get the same treatment. The good news, of course, is that any net, curtain or string lights that might be used at a wedding reception can always be used as additions to Xmas decor too.

In fact, adding to the lights for Xmas is normal. The variety of designs and colours to choose from, means that practically any effect can be achieved, with only imagination and perseverance the added necessities. So, when lights from various occasions are added together, the effect can sometimes be quite unique. Fairy lights can create an impressive winter scene, while LED lights along the differing lengths of wiring gives a string effect that, when hung from a ceiling, looks like icicles. Netted wiring, meanwhile, with soft white lights at each junction hung over a wall can create a snowy backdrop.

These types of lighting can be displayed indoors or outdoors, with the latter option very popular. Netted lights are sometimes used on roofs to suggest tiles are covered with snow, with the icicle effect used on gutters and window sills. The most common types will display a mixture of colours, though invariably the festive colours of green, red and yellow are included, with a selection of lighted props to complement the overall effect. It can become a huge undertaking, and in some countries, for example the USA, there is a competitive edge to it all, with neighbourhoods holding competitions with valuable prizes on offer.

Building such impressive displays is where adding to the collection each year becomes particularly valuable. Strings of lights are connectable and simple to light together, with as many as 100 bulbs per string and as many as 30 strings capable of being joined. This allows the lights to literally wrap around a home, cast a web over a large blank surface, or be laid down to a specific design. These string sets can also boast a range of lighting effects, like cascading, blinking and flashing. The LED lights are weatherproofed for outdoor use, are double insulated for safety and can use as much as 80 per cent less energy, thereby keeping the electricity bill down.

Lights that are used at other events during the year are also a viable addition. Red stringed LED lights can be perfect for Valentine's Day, but they can also be connected to the Xmas display to fill a certain segment of an overall lighting plan. Lights with a variety of colours can be great for a kids party, but can be equally as useful on an Xmas tree.

Meanwhile, wedding lighting like short strips of 20 battery lights, which worked so well on the dining tables that the wedding guests sat at, can be used to illuminate the dinner table, or individual items in the home, like the drinks cabinet, the stairwell or the dining table itself.

Building a collection of lighting options for Xmas makes a lot of sense, as it allows for bigger and more elaborate lighting displays to be put up. Through the use of connectable string lights, which can cater for so many variables in terms of design, these other lights can be absorbed easily into the festive show. In the end, it will save money and save on the stress involved in shopping for new lights.

However, the collective effect provided by the whole collection of Xmas lights is what everyone is most impressed by.