Christmas Curtain Lights: A UK Guide for Windows, Indoors and Outdoors

Christmas curtain lights are one of the simplest ways to make a window or balcony look festive from the pavement: one horizontal wire with thin strands hanging from it, each carrying small LEDs. Hang the top wire, let the strands drop, and a whole surface lights up. With dusk at around 4 pm in December, a well-placed curtain gets plenty of hours to shine.

You will also see them sold as curtain fairy lights, window curtain lights or LED curtain lights. This guide covers what matters when you buy a set in the UK, whether for a window indoors, a balcony railing outdoors or patio doors.

Plain curtain fairy lights vs animated (pixel) curtains

Two quite different products are sold under the same name:

Type	What it does	Best for
Plain curtain fairy lights	Every LED shows the same colour (often warm white), with a few flashing or fading modes	A soft background glow, bedrooms, photo backdrops
Animated / pixel curtain lights	Each LED is individually addressable, so the curtain can show pictures, text and animations	Front windows and balconies you would like passers-by to notice

If you want Father Christmas, a snowman or a "Merry Christmas" message in your window, you need the individually addressable kind (see our guide to animated Christmas lights). The listing will usually mention an app, "pixel", "programmable" or "DIY pattern".

Size and LED count

The two numbers to compare are width × height and total LEDs.

• A 2 × 2 m curtain covers a typical living-room window or a short stretch of balcony railing.
• A 3 × 3 m curtain covers patio or French doors, or a longer railing.
• For animated curtains, more LEDs per square metre means a sharper picture. With the same number of LEDs, a smaller curtain looks more detailed and a larger one looks bigger but blockier up close. From across the road, both read well.

Measure the width you want to cover first. Curtain lights look best hanging flat, not bunched up, so pick the size closest to your window or railing rather than the biggest one going. In a bay window, cover the centre pane only.

Indoor vs outdoor curtain lights

Christmas curtain lights for windows can live indoors, hanging behind the glass and facing out. That is the safest set-up, and the display is still clearly visible from the street once it is dark.

For outdoor curtain lights, check the water rating. A British winter is usually wet and windy rather than snowy, so plan for rain:

• IP44 means splash resistant. Fine for a covered balcony or porch where rain does not hit the lights or controller directly.
• IP65 and above handle direct rain.

Whatever the rating, keep the controller and the plug dry and off the ground. In windy spots, choose shelter: blowing strands tangle and break up an animated picture.

Power, plugs and UK safety

Many modern curtain lights run on 5 V USB and work from any USB wall adapter with a UK plug. Check whether an adapter is included, as some sets ship with only the cable. Mains-powered sets plug into a 230 V socket, often through a transformer, and are usually brighter and longer. Choose a set sold for the UK with a three-pin plug rather than one needing a travel adaptor.

• Outdoor sockets should be RCD protected. The wiring regulations, BS 7671, require a 30 mA RCD for outdoor socket outlets. If in doubt, use a plug-in RCD or ask a registered electrician.
• Use outdoor-rated leads outside, and never plug one extension lead into another.
• Look for UKCA or CE marking and buy from reputable sellers. Electrical Safety First, the UK electrical safety charity, advises shopping carefully, especially online, to avoid fakes.
• Switch off when you go out and overnight, as Electrical Safety First advises. A timer or app schedule takes care of bedtime.

How to hang curtain lights on a window

See also how to hang curtain lights and Christmas window lights.

1. Clip the top wire to the curtain pole or track, or use clear adhesive hooks along the top of the window frame.
2. Let the strands drop straight. Do not stretch them, or the picture on an animated curtain will distort.
3. Push the lights close to the glass, in front of any net curtain, to cut reflections inside the room.
4. Rest the controller somewhere dry on the sill, clear of the radiator, and run the cable to a socket.

Buying checklist for Christmas curtain lights

1. Width and height match the window, door or railing.
2. LED type: plain (one colour at a time) or addressable pixels (pictures and text).
3. Water rating: IP44 for covered spots, IP65 or higher where rain hits.
4. Power: USB or mains, and whether the UK plug or adapter you need is in the box.
5. Control: remote, app or both, and whether there is a timer.
6. Cable length from the controller to the nearest socket.
7. UKCA or CE marking and a clear returns policy, in case the size turns out wrong.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Buying the biggest size. A curtain that is too wide bunches up and the picture distorts.
• Hanging it far from the glass. You mostly light your own room and get reflections.
• Forgetting the adapter. Many USB sets come with a cable only.
• Leaving the controller in the rain. The strands may be splash resistant while the controller box is not.

Storing curtain lights after Christmas

Lay the curtain flat, fold the strands together in one direction and roll the bundle round a piece of cardboard. Keep the controller and remote in a separate bag, store everything somewhere dry, and the set comes out untangled next year.

Our pick for an animated curtain

We are affiliated with Lumalyn, so bear that in mind. The Lumalyn Smart Animated Balcony Lights are a 400-LED pixel curtain in 2 × 2 m or 3 × 3 m. They are controlled from a phone app or the included remote, sync to music, and are rated IP44 for sheltered outdoor spots. They are USB powered and the set ships without a wall adapter, so use a USB adapter with a UK plug you already own. The partner store shows prices in pounds to UK visitors.

If you only want a soft warm-white glow, a plain curtain from a DIY shop or garden centre is cheaper.