Color of course!

I prefer white lights, but the husband staged a coup d' etat a couple of years ago, and now we have colored lights.

I say, it depends on the ornaments. If the tree is all prim, proper, and fancy...probably just the white. If the tree has all kinds of ornaments from over the years and looks a little different every year... you gotta go with color.

It really depends on what you're going for: subtle, understated elegance allows for only white bulbs and subdued ornaments.

If you're of the Clark Griswold persuasion, then you need color, color, and more color. And really obnoxious ornaments and all kinds of crap out in the front yard. Try to make it your goal to have one of your neighbors call and complain about you driving down property values. Just be careful, The Dear One may decide that you have to sleep outside in your faux manger.

Depends on where you are in the family progression:

No kids - white

With kids - color

Teenagers - go back to white

actually, our issue is "twinkle or not to twinkle"
that being said, we have BOTH colored and white lights on the tree and outside, and the only ones that don't twinkle are the icicle and red bow lights on the outside

Our family progression has so far been like Jen's. I've always been firmly in the "only white lights" camp, but my children crave color and thus, I have grudgingly added a little. I can't say I'm thrilled about it, but I suppose it isn't really all about me any more.

And we had our "Elves' Faire" a few weeks ago. Tofu casserole, felt ball making, and candle dipping for everyone.

Color. You do believe in diversity, don't you?

I like White lights outside, they give the illusion of snow, and as much riotous, obnoxious, blinking color as possible inside. But I prefer simple on-off blinking, no complex patterns -- they remind me too much of old Sci-fi movies about government mind control experiments.

I think that there are geographical differences to color selection. I grew up in the mid-west where colored lights are the preference. Now I live in Massachusetts and most of my neighbors have only white lights and/or white candles in the windows. I don't know what New Englanders have against colors. I'm guessing it must be a race thing.

Here in Eugene, there aren't as many houses with lights outside as I'd like. I suspect it has to do with the politics.

Oddly enough, in San Diego, whole neighborhoods would decorate to excess. Maybe some sort of compensation complex?

Give the woman credit - she was probably voting for the Governor Moonbeam of bygone days, not the aging pudgster who sits in Oakland today, helping emdo victims by "finding them a place that's just as good."

I like color - I could go for opalescent, but white alone is too staid. When I get old and senile, I plan to pick a tartan and do the house, the tree and the dog in it and nothing else.