Christmas Lights Coloring Pages – 38 Free PDFs to Print and Color

Christmas lights are one of the easiest things to love in December, and one of the most fun to color. This collection of 38 sheets starts with a single big C9 bulb and works its way out to rooflines, garden trees, windows, city streets, and patterns. Each page is a line drawing with plenty of room to add glowing colors, so a bulb on a dark night sky can really seem to shine.

All 38 Christmas Lights Coloring Pages

All 38 coloring pages are free and printable. Click any picture to open the PDF, which is sized for A4 paper. The sheets range from very easy, with one big bulb and thick lines, to detailed scenes with rooflines, strings, and patterns for older kids and adults. Pick a few and print as many as you like.

The Light Bulb

Big C9 Christmas Bulb with Stars

A single large C9 bulb stands upright with a glossy highlight inside the glass and a ribbed socket at the base. Two small stars float on either side, and a wavy wire runs out beneath the socket. The bold, open shapes are easy to fill in.

Three Smiling Bulbs and Snowflakes

Three cartoon Christmas bulbs hang from a curved wire, each with a different face: a wink, wide eyes and a closed-eye smile. Rosy cheek ovals sit on every bulb, and two six-armed snowflakes fill the space underneath. The big, open bulb shapes are easy to color, while the ribbed sockets and snowflake tips are small.

Faceted Bulb Clipped to a Gutter

A pointed, egg-shaped Christmas bulb is cut into diamond facets and sits in a socket that is clipped onto a roof gutter. The gutter runs across the bottom of the page and is held by a wide clip. The large facet panels are easy to fill, and two shades of one color would show the cut-glass look.

Five Bulb Shapes on a Shelf

Five Christmas bulbs stand in a row in short socket cups on a wall shelf with two brackets. The shapes run from a tall egg and a round globe to a slim candle tip and a diamond-faceted bulb. Each smooth bulb has a small highlight oval.

Spare Bulb Box and Coiled Light Strand

An open cardboard box with a four-compartment divider holds four spare egg-shaped bulbs, each with a small highlight oval. Below it lies a coiled light cord with four more bulbs trailing out on short wires. The wide box panels are easy to fill in, and the cardboard would suit two shades of brown.

Grandfather and Girl Untangling Lights

A smiling grandfather with round glasses and a mustache sits cross-legged beside a little girl with a hair bow and ponytail. Together they hold a tangled string of light cord with five pointed bulbs hanging from it. Big, open shapes like the sweaters and trousers keep this one easy, though the faces add a little finer detail.

Mother and Boy Testing a Light String

A smiling woman with shoulder-length hair and a spiky-haired boy hold a drooping cord between them, with five pointed bulbs hanging from it. A table line runs along the bottom. The bulbs are plain and unshaded, so they take bright colors well, and the hair and sweaters are large open areas.

Lights on the House

Snowy House with Lit Roofline

A small house under a crescent moon has a snow-capped roof with seven pointed bulbs hanging along the edge. Four more bulbs frame the arched front door, and snow lines the chimney, the window boxes and the bushes. Thick, clean outlines and large open panels make the walls and door easy to fill in.

Family Hanging Lights from a Ladder

A boy on a stepladder clips a string of pointed bulbs to the gutter while a long-haired woman steadies the ladder. A smaller boy below holds a coil of cord with bulbs hanging off it. Behind them are a paneled window, siding lines and three rounded bushes. The clapboard wall and bushes are simple, but the three figures and the coiled cord add finer detail.

Three Decorated Snowy Houses

Three side-by-side houses with snowy roofs, each lit differently. The left one has five bulbs under the gable and a wreath on its arched door. The middle one has bulbs wound around the shuttered window. The right one has three bulbs under a porch awning. Two snowy pine trees stand behind them, and the thick outlines leave plenty of space to color.

Porch Door with Wreath and Wrapped Posts

A front door with a scalloped wreath and a big bow sits between two porch posts. Each post is wrapped in a cord with three large oval bulbs. A paneled door, a round knob and two wide steps complete the view. The bold, open shapes are easy to fill in.

Girl Waving Behind a Lit Window

A smiling girl with a hair bow waves both hands from an arched window with a glass pane and a sill. A string of five bulbs frames the window, and two snowflakes float above. The glossy glare lines on the upper panes are a nice spot for a pale blue.

Smiling Shrub with Two Light Strands

A round, scalloped shrub with a happy face, two round eyes and a small smile, sits on a curved strip of ground. Two draped strands hold six pointed bulbs in all. Large, simple shapes make this an easy sheet for younger colorers.

Boy and Puppy Under Hanging Icicle Lights

A boy in a pom-pom hat and scarf reaches up toward three strands of bulbs hanging from a snowy eave, while a sitting puppy with floppy ears looks on. A long icicle hangs at the corner of the wall. Bold lines and open shapes keep the scarf fringe the only fiddly part.

Mailbox with Garland, Bow and Bulbs

An arched mailbox with a raised flag and a mail slot stands in a snow mound, wrapped in a scalloped garland with leaf shapes and a large center bow. Four pointed bulbs hang from the garland. The wide bow loops are roomy enough for a pattern.

Farmhouse and Barn Behind a Lit Fence

A winding lane leads from a wooden fence up to a snowy farmhouse with a wreath on the door and a barn with crossed double doors. A string of five bulbs droops between two snow-capped fence posts, and snowy fir trees frame both sides. The wreath bow and the barn’s X-braced doors are the small-detail spots.

Garden and Park

Two Boys Admiring a Lit Fir Tree

Two smiling boys stand on either side of a tiered fir tree with a thick trunk. Swooping strands of string lights wind down the branches, with six large pointed bulbs hanging along them. One boy clasps his hands, and the other wears a scarf. Clean outlines and big open shapes make this an easy sheet.

Bare Tree with Lit Bulbs and Park Bench

A leafless tree with a thick trunk and five forked branches stands behind a wooden park bench. A pointed bulb hangs from a wrapped clasp on each branch tip. The bench has two slatted back boards with four round screw heads, and low outlined bushes sit at both sides. The thick trunk and wide, open shapes make this a quick, easy sheet.

Family Walking Through a Light Tunnel

Three nested arches of pointed bulbs frame a man with a laughing girl on his shoulders and a woman in a buttoned coat and fringed scarf. Each arch stands on square base blocks. The three arches are different sizes, which gives the sheet depth.

Lawn Candle, Star and Candy Cane Light Figures

Three lawn decorations built from tube lighting: a tall candle with a dripping wax top, a five-pointed star, and a candy cane. Pointed bulbs are clipped along each outline, and the candle and cane stand on twin ground stakes. The wide, open interiors suit markers and big color fills.

Lit Gazebo with Wreath and Bulb Garland

A round park gazebo seen from the front, with a bow-topped wreath on the peaked roof and a swagged garland holding six pointed bulbs. A railing of upright slats circles the floor, steps lead up between two round-capped posts, and a rounded bush stands on each side. The fine railing slats take patience, while the roof panels are wide and easy to fill.

Smiling Bulbs on a Picket Fence

Four smiling pointed bulbs sit on top of four picket-fence boards, joined by a draped wire that loops between the bases. Two horizontal rails run behind the boards, and a tuft of grass grows at the foot of each one. Every board is a tall, plain panel, so the sheet suits broad strokes and large fills.

Glowing Indoors

Fireplace Mantel with Light Garland

A front view of a stone fireplace with an evergreen garland across the mantel. The garland holds six pointed bulbs, two pinecones and a large central bow, and a candle lantern stands at each end. Inside the arch, two flames burn above crossed logs on an andiron. The stone arch blocks and the flames have bold, open shapes, while the needle-covered garland has finer detail.

Boy on the Stairs by a Lit Banister

A smiling boy sits on a staircase with his chin resting in both hands and gazes up at a garland draped along the banister. Six pointed bulbs hang from the fluffy garland, which ends at a ball-topped newel post. The wide steps and boy’s simple clothes are easy to fill, while the garland and banister spindles are finer.

Boy and Puppy with Jar of Lights

A kneeling boy lowers a string of bulbs into a large glass jar tied with a bow, while a floppy-eared puppy rests its paws on the jar’s side. More bulbs on a wire lie on the floor in front. The tangled strand inside the jar is the finest detail, and the boy’s hair and sweater are easy to fill.

Two Girls Placing Candles in Windows

Two girls in simple dresses and hair bows stand on tiptoe at a two-pane window and set candles on the sill. One candle is lit, with short rays around the flame. A string of six pointed bulbs hangs across the top, framed by tied-back curtains. The wide dresses and curtains are easy to fill.

Smiling Teardrop Ornament on Pine Bough

A large teardrop-shaped ornament with a happy face and round cheeks hangs from a bow between two fir sprigs. A wire strand carries three pointed bulbs on each side of the ornament. The big smooth ornament body is a wide, open area, while the needles on the sprigs are finer.

Girl Placing a Snowman in a Miniature Village

A ponytailed girl with a big hair bow leans over a tiny model village and sets a small scarfed snowman on a stone arch bridge. Two houses and a steepled church with a cross stand along a winding stream, with bulb strands along their roofs and the bridge, and snowy fir trees beside them.

Puppy Tangled in Christmas Lights

A sitting puppy with floppy ears, a big smile and its tongue out is wrapped in a looping strand of five bulbs. Short spark lines surround each bulb. The bulbs and the smooth body are large, open areas, while the toe lines on the paws are finer.

Lights in the City

Family Shopping Under Main Street Lights

A smiling man, a woman in a pom-pom hat and a small child walk hand in hand down a brick-lined shopping street, each carrying paper bags. Two bulb strands hang overhead, and the lamp posts and shop windows have bows and wreaths.

Skating Dad Pulling a Sled on the Rink

On an outdoor ice rink, a scarfed man in skates tows a toddler in a pom-pom hat who sits cheering on a small sled. Two more children skate with their arms out behind them, and two strands of seven bulbs hang between tall posts above the low rink wall and snowy fir trees. The large shapes of the jackets and the sled are easy to color in, while the bulbs and the wall bricks are smaller.

Lit Fishing Boats on a Harbor

Three small cabin boats with flags on their masts sail across calm water, each with a strand of bulbs strung from the mast to the deck. A lighthouse, a wooden fence and a round sun sit in the background. The big front boat has large, open shapes, while the two farther boats and the wavy water lines are smaller.

Grandmother Walking Her Puppy by a Lamp Post

A smiling grandmother with round glasses, a hair bun, a scarf and mittens holds a leash to a happy puppy beside a street lamp. The lamp post has a big bow and a strand of five bulbs spiraling down it. The wide coat and scarf are large, open areas, while the bulbs and the puppy’s collar are small.

Car Driving Under a Bulb Arch

Seen from behind, a small hatchback drives beneath a tall arch topped with five large bulbs, each with short glow lines. A boy and a girl with a hair bow wave from the back window. The big car body and the bulbs are open shapes, while the faces and the tail lights are smaller.

Patterns

Christmas Bulb Wreath with Holly

Ten large C9 bulbs radiate from an empty center circle like petals, each with a ribbed base and a small oval highlight. Six holly leaves with berry clusters fill the gaps between the bulbs. The open middle circle leaves room to add a name or a greeting.

Five Swags of Christmas Bulbs

Five curved wires hang one under another, each carrying a row of teardrop bulbs with small socket caps and a curved highlight stroke. The rows alternate between six and five bulbs, 28 in all. The bulbs are medium-sized, clean outlines with plenty of room for a color pattern along each strand.

Pointed Bulb Filled with Snowflakes and Mini Bulbs

One tall pointed bulb stands upright with a screw base of four ridged bands. Inside the glass are two snowflakes, two small bulbs tilted at angles and four stars in three sizes. The wide, open outlines suit a first-time colorer, and the snowflake arms are the finest detail.

Christmas Light Mandala with Bows and Star

A round mandala with an eight-pointed star in the center circle, ringed by eight bulbs with ribbed bases and four ribbon bows at top, bottom, left and right. Two thin outer circles frame the design. The shapes are large and open, so the sheet is easy to color.

Christmas Lights Facts for Kids

From Candles to Electric Bulbs

Before electric light, families pinned small wax candles onto the branches of the Christmas tree. It looked lovely, but a candle next to dry branches was always a fire risk. In 1882, Edward H. Johnson, who worked with Thomas Edison, lit the first electric Christmas tree string in his home in New York. It had 80 hand-wired bulbs in red, white, and blue.

In the early 1900s, ready-made strings of lights went on sale. For a long time they were expensive, and only over the years did most families find them affordable. Today’s LED strings use only a small fraction of the electricity of the old bulbs, hardly get warm, and last much longer.

What C7 and C9 Mean

The names of the classic bulbs are really measurements. The C stands for cone, the shape of the bulb, and the number is the width in eighths of an inch. A C7 is 7/8 inch wide and a C9 is 9/8 inch wide. A C9 is the big, pointed bulb with a short ridged screw base, and some have cut facets like a jewel. Look for the twisted double wire with a socket at each spot along the string. On a roof, the bulbs usually all point up.

Lights Around Town

Since 1923, the National Christmas Tree has been lit near the White House in Washington, and President Calvin Coolidge was the first to switch on its lights. In many American neighborhoods, whole houses glow in December, with lights along the roof edge, around windows, and on bushes and trees in the front yard. Families often drive through town on December evenings just to look. Many harbor towns also hold boat parades, where decorated, lit-up boats pass the shore after dark.

Printing and Coloring Tips

Regular printer paper works well for pencils and crayons. If you want to use markers or watercolor, try heavier paper or cardstock so the color does not soak through. The PDFs are made for A4. On a US printer, choose “fit to page” in the print dialog so nothing is cut off at the edges, and leave the scale on automatic.

Choose the sheet to match the colorist. Preschoolers and beginners will enjoy the single big bulbs, which have large shapes and thick lines. Early elementary kids can try bulbs side by side, a spare bulb tray, or a short string on a roof. Older kids and adults will like the detailed street scenes, garden trees, and repeating patterns, which are good for fine pencils and gel pens.

For the most realistic look, follow the classic string order of red, green, blue, yellow, and orange. Use “warm white,” the yellowish white of old bulbs, for a few. Color the bulbs in strong, bright shades and the night sky dark blue or violet. Then leave a pale ring around each bulb, or shade it lightly with yellow, so the light seems to shine.

Crafts Using Your Colored Pages

• Paper bulb garland: Color several bulbs, cut them out, and glue or tape them in a row along a length of yarn or twine. Hang it across a window or over a shelf.
• Holiday cards: Fold a sheet of cardstock and glue a colored bulb on the front. Write a message inside for a grandparent, neighbor, or teacher.
• Window display: Tape a finished roofline or street scene to the inside of a window, so passersby can see the colors from outside, especially when a lamp is on behind it.
• Gift wrap and tags: Cut a small colored bulb into a gift tag, or glue a whole page onto a plain paper bag to make a one-of-a-kind gift bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these Christmas lights coloring pages really free?

Yes. Click any picture to open the PDF, then print it as many times as you like for home use. No sign-up is needed.

What age are these coloring pages for?

There is something for nearly everyone. Little ones, with a grown-up helping, can color the big single bulbs. Older kids and adults can spend an evening on the detailed scenes and patterns. If you are unsure, start with an easy sheet and move on to harder ones.

Which colors are correct for Christmas lights?

The classic string mixes red, green, blue, yellow, and orange in a set order, and warm white is the yellowish white of old bulbs. Of course, there are no rules on your own sheet. Rainbow strings, all white, and all blue are all fine.

How do I make the lights look like they glow?

Color the sky dark blue or violet, use bright colors for the bulbs, and leave a light ring around each one. Pressing hard in the bulb’s center and lightly toward the edges also helps, since the bulb then looks brightest in the middle.

Can I use these pages in a classroom?

Yes. Teachers and group leaders are welcome to print copies for their classes, libraries, and holiday events. Mixing a few easy and detailed sheets lets every child in the room find a page that fits.

What should I do if the page prints too large or too small?

The files are A4, so on letter paper choose “fit to page” or “shrink to fit” in the print settings. That keeps the whole picture on the sheet, and the bulbs keep their shape.

Matthew Matthysen( Drawing and Painting Artist )

Matthew Matthysen is an educated multidisciplinary artist and illustrator. He successfully completed his art degree at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, majoring in art history and contemporary drawing. The focus of his thesis was to explore the philosophical implications of the macro and micro-universe on the human experience. Matthew uses diverse media, such as written and hands-on components, to explore various approaches that are on the border between philosophy and science.

Matthew organized various exhibitions before and during his years as a student and is still passionate about doing so today. He currently works as a freelance artist and writer in various fields. He also has a permanent position at a renowned online gallery (ArtGazette) where he produces various works on commission. As a freelance artist, he creates several series and successfully sells them to galleries and collectors. He loves to use his work and skills in various fields of interest.

Matthew has been creating drawing and painting tutorials since the relaunch in 2020. Through his involvement with artincontext.org, he has been able to deepen his knowledge of various painting mediums. For example, watercolor techniques, calligraphy and lately digital drawing, which is becoming more and more popular.

Learn more about Matthew Matthysen and the Art in Context Team.