Solar Snowflake Lights: Stakes, Strings and Hanging Snowflakes

Solar snowflake lights come in three forms: snowflake garden stakes about 3 feet tall for paths and beds, snowflake string lights for fences and shrubs, and hanging snowflakes for branches and porch eaves. Each piece charges from its own panel, so pick spots with open sky to the south, and expect shorter nights in December.

Types of solar snowflake lights

Solar snowflake lights fall into three types, and the right one depends on where the light goes.

Snowflakes have one advantage over Santa or reindeer pieces: they read as winter, not Christmas, so the same lights can stay out into January.

Solar snowflake garden stakes

Solar snowflake garden stakes are the simplest way to light a path. Walmart lists Alpine Corporation’s 33-inch 3D snowflake solar powered garden stakes in white, sold as a set of two.

Alpine also makes a solar 3-tier snowflake stake with three stacked snowflakes, either clear with cool white LEDs or blue with blue LEDs. Hemlock Hardware’s listing gives 6 to 8 hours of light on a full charge, an on/off switch and a stainless steel and plastic build.

Space stakes evenly along both sides of a path, about a stride apart, so they read as a line from the street. Each stake has its own panel, so a stake under a shrub will glow less than one in the open.

Solar snowflake string lights

Solar snowflake string lights carry small snowflake covers along a wire, powered by one panel on a stake. Specs vary widely between sets, so read the listing before you buy. One example, Morttic’s 16.4-foot, 20-LED set sold on Walmart, lists:

• 8 lighting modes, with a memory that keeps the last mode
• 8 to 12 hours of full, direct sun to charge, and 10 to 14 hours of light
• an 800mAh NiMH AA rechargeable battery and an on/off switch on the panel
• an IP44 rating

The seller notes that charging and run times change with the weather. Those figures assume good sun, and December gives far less. The Department of Energy notes that Denver receives nearly three times more solar energy in June than in December. For long runs along a roofline, see our guide to solar Christmas lights for roofs and gutters, and for bushes, solar net lights.

Hanging solar snowflakes

Hanging solar snowflakes add light at eye level, where stakes cannot reach. Tractor Supply’s Red Shed 18-inch snowflake solar light has a white 3D hollow metal snowflake shell with a warm bulb inside that switches on at dark. A solar panel sits on top, and a hook lets it hang from tree branches, porch eaves or railings.

A hanging snowflake needs its top panel under open sky. On a branch, pick an outer limb on the south side of the tree; under a porch roof, the panel may get too little light to run for long.

How to get longer nights from solar snowflakes

Longer nights from solar snowflakes come from better charging, not brighter lights. EnergySage reports that solar Christmas lights typically run 8 to 14 hours after a full charge, with shorter nights after cloudy days, and that brands recommend a full charge before first use.

1. Give each panel open sky. South-facing spots with nothing overhead charge best in winter.
2. Clear snow off panels. A snowflake light buried in real snow will not charge.
3. Pick a steady or slow mode. Fast flashing modes look busy on a path and suit a short evening display better than a long night.
4. Keep sensors away from porch lights. Gama Sonic warns that nearby lights shining on the sensor can stop a solar light from turning on.

If a set stops working mid-season, our guide to solar Christmas lights not working walks through the checks, and do solar Christmas lights work in winter explains why December is the hardest month. Where a spot gets little winter sun, battery-operated Christmas lights with a timer are the steadier choice.

Weather ratings for snowflake lights

Weather ratings matter more for snowflakes than for most decorations, since they stay out through the worst months. IP44 covers splashing water, and IP65 covers water jets from any direction. For an open lawn with snow, rain and sprinklers, look for IP65 on both the lights and the panel. Our guide to waterproof solar Christmas lights explains each rating.

Pairing snowflakes with other solar decorations

Snowflakes pair well with white and blue lights. Line the path with snowflake stakes, add solar icicle lights along the eaves, and use solar pathway lights where you need more light to walk by. For figures such as reindeer and candy canes, see solar Christmas yard decorations; in a warm-climate yard, solar palm tree lights cover lighted and wrapped palms; and for every light type, start at best solar Christmas lights.