Christmas decor: Battery powered garland/wreaths for outdoors??

[elizamom]

Has anyone had success with using battery powered garlands and/or wreaths outside? I tried some cheapo battery powered lights last year and I was unhappy with them. The lights were too dim and only became dimmer as the batteries wore down. The appeal of course is not dealing with power cords and the built-in automatic timer. I was just online shopping and I see pretty ones at Balsam Hill and Grand in Road, but they aren't cheap. Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations?

ETA: I bought lights ONLY in the past. Not wreaths/garlands with lights.

[Kindra178]

I have gotten real pre lit wreaths from LL bean. Seriously hit or miss. Batteries die, functionality doesn't work, dim lights. I had a fancy prelit fake wreath from Frontgate for awhile. It lasted a few years and then died - totally unfixable. I hate how it ended up in a landfill. No good answers!

[smiles33]

Yup, like Kindra, I bought the battery-powered wreaths from Frontgate and they failed after 2 seasons. Sigh. I still put them up as they're nice but they no longer light up.

[elizamom]

It sounds like battery powered may not be the way to go.

As a side note, it pains me as well to think of all of these things just being tossed away to sit in some landfill. The ones I tried last year were lights only and while I was not happy with them outdoors for Christmas, they are now in my kid's rooms as decoration.

[SnuggleBuggles]

It sounds like battery powered may not be the way to go.

As a side note, it pains me as well to think of all of these things just being tossed away to sit in some landfill. The ones I tried last year were lights only and while I was not happy with them outdoors for Christmas, they are now in my kid's rooms as decoration.

they're still green. String your own lights on them or donate. I'm sure there are ways they can have an extended life even not with you. Imagine the thrill someone could get of finding a high quality LL Bean item at a thrift store and all they have to do is fix the lights (some people can do that ) or just make it work a different way.

[elizamom]

they're still green. String your own lights on them or donate. I'm sure there are ways they can have an extended life even not with you. Imagine the thrill someone could get of finding a high quality LL Bean item at a thrift store and all they have to do is fix the lights (some people can do that ) or just make it work a different way.

No, it was just the lights I tried in the past. They were just plain white batter powered twinkle lights, no greenery. So now just the lights are in my kid's bedrooms year round. I have never bought wreaths and garlands with lights, muchless tossed any away.

I was debating buying wreaths/garlands with battery powered lights, but it sounds like a couple of folks have tried buying high quality ones without luck. Thus, I won't be doing that.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, it was just the lights I tried in the past. They were just plain white batter powered twinkle lights, no greenery. So now just the lights are in my kid's bedrooms year round. I have never bought wreaths and garlands with lights, muchless tossed any away.

I was debating buying wreaths/garlands with battery powered lights, but it sounds like a couple of folks have tried buying high quality ones without luck. Thus, I won't be doing that.

Gotcha! Sorry about that!!