Our Tru-Tone Christmas Lights
As you may know, we’re sticklers when it comes to lighting (check out our Best LED Bulb Recommendations). So last year when choosing lights for our Maine Christmas Tree we went with the only option (so we thought) - vintage inspired incandescent bulbs. While the tree did look amazing, we lived in constant fear that the entire tree would burst into flames at any moment. Plus, we had to run multiple extension cords to avoid blowing a fuse, while using enough power to run a small village.
This year we knew we needed to do things differently - and that is when we turned to Tru-Tone. We have been following this company for a few years (they are freaking awesome) and we reached out for help with this years project. We couldn’t love them more - from the origin story, to the product quality, to the branding - it’s all so incredible that we needed to share more!
This is absolutely the best option if you're looking for a LED vintage inspired bulb, hands down.
// Disclaimer: Tru-Tone generously sent us their lights to try out, but this is not a sponsored post. We wanted to share our own authentic opinions!
About Tru-Tone
You can read more about the Tru-Tone story here, but in short, the owner and designer wanted to create Christmas lights that were reminiscent of the incandescent Christmas lights from his childhood. With an understanding of how both light types of bulbs are created, he recreated LED bulbs with the vibrant glow of incandescent bulbs, and without the overheating. The result is vintage-style LED Christmas lights that are nearly identical to the original string lights - in fact, you can only tell the difference by the small logo they put on their bulbs/bases!
We've been carefully curating a mid-century, retro vibe in our Maine cabin and we have to shout out the incredible Tru-Tone branding. Everything from the website design, to the packaging just screams nostalgia and we're so here for it.
THe Lights We Chose
We went with the green wire option and the C9 bulbs, which are a recognizable, 70s-style shape. For our color choices, we went with the classic pack.
One of the special features about this brand is that they sell the bulbs and string separately. You can buy a set; however you still have to screw in the bulbs. The cool thing about this setup, is that you can select the various colors that fit with your Christmas decorations and then can change them out seasonally (they do have themes and color combinations for other holidays, too!).
While they're also built for outdoor use, we have them on our very large Christmas tree inside, and wrapped around the railing of the loft. And we even tackled the exterior lights in Maine.
// Note: If the sets are sold out, simply buy the bulbs and light strings separately (for the same price, too!).
Because these are LED lights, there's a huge difference in the energy efficiency (88% in energy savings compared to incandescent bulbs), so we have zero guilt about leaving our tree on all day long. And more importantly, we’re not worried about having so many lights on and short circuiting (hurray for a lower electric bill in the holiday season, too). And, good news - you can safely connect up to 24 light strings, incase you're planning your own holiday light show.
Tru-Tone Resources
Talk about commitment to the brand - these guys have so many useful and retro-looking guides for picking your lights. They also have a few DIY crafty projects that you can download the patterns for, and do with their lights.
We love the Tru-Tone Service Desk! Are you looking for seasonal help?!
Final Thoughts
We have loved hearing how these lights bring back the holiday spirit and remind you of Christmas past.
It's a great reminder that it's not all about the presents, but about the love and traditions people create for one another during this time of year!
Whether you're going with white lights, or making a bold statement, we wish you a Merry Christmas!
