Bethlehem Dual-Colored 50-Count LED Light String - Battery Powered

I typically don't write reviews, so the sheer fact that I'm taking the time to do this says a lot! I really wasn't sure what to expect with these lights and figured if they were terrible, I'd mail them back. My issue was trying to light up a gorgeous wreath for our front door without cords, so I opted to try these. Bethlehem Lighting have always been mentioned on QVC as "AMAZING!" and "Life life" but I don't buy it, til I see it. Let me say that these lights are absolutely fantastic! The ability to change from colored lights to white lights with the simple twist on the dial is excellent as well as seeing the settings for photosensitivity (when it gets dark), steady on, flashing, changing colors every 1.5 seconds, or the timer from when you turn on til it goes off 6 hours later, makes this light set super easy to work with. Anyone can easily understand how to work the dial for your own personal settings from the minute you pull them out of the box (which is great since there aren't any instructions). So, if I love it, why only 4 stars? The battery box is very large and heavy. However, with the proper wire (and a large wreath or in anything outside), you can easily hide the box. My bigger issue was that due to the battery box being on one end, you only have one end to string and weave on and around a wreath. It was harder to have to pull an entire strand through instead of say, half a string and meeting in the middle. It depends on how you string lights, perhaps only having one end to pull through an entire wreath as you weave in and out wouldn't bother you. The other thing that I want to mention is if you put your lights on photosensitivity mode, be sure the sensor is pointed outward toward the darkness and not in toward and lights or you'll gave a constant flickering. All in all, I can't imagine any other lights being more economical, beautiful, or simple to work with and I'm ecstatic to have found these. Also, I have mine set to the photo mode, so ours come on around 5:45pm and go off around 6am; knock on wood, but I haven't had any issues with the batteries since putting this up last week.

**UPDATE**12-23-2013: I used three strings of these lights exclusively on timer mode with the multicolored lights for several weeks, and all worked perfectly. Then, for a party, I switched all of them to alternate between white and multicolored. Within a couple of hours, all of the blue lights on one strand had burned out. Within a few more hours, all of the blue bulbs on another strand burned out. The rest of the colors and the white lights still work (for now). I am baffled and annoyed. Aren't LEDs supposed to last practically forever? It seems as though the blink mode is what killed them, but why offer it as an option if it doesn't work??**ORIGINAL REVIEW**I have young kids in my house, so I am always looking for ways to cut down on electrical cords that they could pull on or trip over. I wanted some Christmas lights for above my fireplace, but I do not have a convenient outlet. I also wanted to satisfy my inner domestic goddess by putting some lights in a beautiful glass bowl as a centerpiece for my table, and obviously, they needed to be cordless. First, the lights themselves: they are beautiful. They are sparkly and colorful, and all worked out of the box and are still working several weeks later (on the first set of batteries, I might add). The controls are very simple and I love having so many options--on, on with timer, on with light sensor, and all three of those can be with either the colored bulbs or the white option. It is magical how they can be changed from colored bulbs to white with the turn of a dial. I have been using the timer option, and it really puts me in a festive mood to have the lights on when I get home.My one negative comment (and the reason I only gave this item 4 stars) is that the control box/battery compartment is SO huge. I know, I know--when you're using three big batteries, that's to be expected. But it really is much bigger than just the size of the batteries. This was fine for the two strands of lights that I put on the mantle, because I could hide the control box behind a large picture that I have leaning against the wall. However, for the lights in the glass bowl, I had to get creative and cover the control box with cotton batting to hide it. Having a huge control box that you have to hide counteracts some of the awesome convenience of not having to plug in the lights.Overall, very good product and I would purchase again.