White or multicolored holiday lights? Trib readers have strong preferences

Joe Weltner’s 90-year-old grandmother still tells the story.

Back in the day, she and her husband were driving the grandkids around to look at the neighborhood Christmas decorations. From the back seat, young Joe — probably 6 at the time — was heard to mutter, “I hate white lights.”

“From childhood on, apparently, I detested white lights,” said the Harrison resident, now 40.

“White lights can be very classy,” he added. “But color, to me, just says Christmas.”

On the other hand, fellow Harrison resident Christine Spece prefers white lights. There are trees throughout her house, but her main showpiece tree needs to be illuminated in white.

“It just feels calming to me,” she said.

Writer Stephanie K explored the relative merits of each decorating style in a 2018 article on elfster.com.

White lights often are viewed as being more sophisticated, she said. They evoke the snow of the Christmas season and the candles used to decorate trees of yore.

They also provide a neutral backdrop for additional colorful elements of the holiday décor.

On the other hand, multicolored lights arguably are more festive, lighthearted and eye-catching. They also are supposed to have healing properties, the writer says.

Critics on one side say white lights are too sterile, while those on the other say colored ones can look too busy, or even tacky.

Randall Oaks, director of visitor experiences and events at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, said he always preferred white lights until he had kids of his own: “There’s just more magic (in) all the colors for them.”

“We use white lights; they sparkle and look like candlelight,” said Kary Milan, director of development and alumni relations at Penn State New Kensington.

“I use colored lights because they remind me of my grandparents. The warm glow of the beautiful colors makes me feel like a kid again,” said Tracy Alaia, owner of Feathers Artist Market and Gifts in Irwin.

Mandy Zalich, CEO of Westmoreland Community Action, votes for white lights, “mostly because I find it helps to lighten the room when it’s so dark outside.”

According to a 2018 survey conducted by Wakefield Research for BJ’s Wholesale Club, multicolored lights rule. Of 1,000 participants, 62% preferred them.

Whatever you choose, internet experts agree with Weltner on one thing: When decking the halls, pick one kind or the other — never use both.

“I hate seeing them mixed,” he said. “That really bothers me.”