Christmas Light Projectors: A Simple Guide for Your Home

A light projector is one of the quickest ways to decorate a room for Christmas. You plug it in, point it at a wall or ceiling, and the room fills with moving patterns. Here is what to know before you buy one.

How a Christmas projector works

Inside the projector, LEDs shine through a patterned lens or a rotating slide. The pattern is thrown onto the nearest surface. Rotating models make the pattern drift across the wall, which gives the effect of falling snow or moving lights.

Types to choose from

• Pattern projectors show seasonal shapes and usually offer several patterns and colours.
• Snowflake projectors show white snowflakes that rotate slowly.
• Aurora or northern lights projectors wash the room in shifting colour and can be used all year.
• Plug-in night lights are small and suit bedrooms and hallways.

Where to place one

• Use a plain, light-coloured wall or ceiling. Patterns look weak on dark or busy surfaces.
• Move the projector further back for a larger pattern, and closer for a sharper, brighter one.
• Dim the main lights. Projectors look best in a darker room.
• Keep it on a flat, stable surface, away from curtains and out of reach of small children.

What to check before buying

• Power: many small projectors are USB powered. Check what kind of USB supply the product needs.
• Indoor or outdoor: only use a projector outside if the product details say it is rated for outdoor use.
• Controls: some have a remote, some have a button on the unit.
• What is included: check whether a cable or plug comes in the box.

See our Christmas collection for projectors and festive lighting, including the Christmas Projector with 16 Patterns and the Rotating Snowflake LED Projector.