We had an old sad string of lights around our deck, most of the bulbs were burned out, and I decided to redo it. I like the icicle design because at night, with a slight breeze, the back and forth movement of the lights looks like snow! (well, kind of) - rather than just one static string. The hardest part was setting them up - I went through a lot of zip ties, but eventually they were up - I waited until dark to try them and WOW WOW WOW. Worth EVERY cent. There is also a remote control, and MANY different ways to "play" the string of lights - flashing, streaming, waves, solid, dim - and the plug/adaptor part is REALLY heavy duty - meant for serious outside use (not just your average indoor adaptor /connector with two prongs) - this is a heavy duty one, the kind you can leave permanently plugged in and never worry about rain. Last night, once I turned them on, even though we weren't sitting outside (it was raining), it was just a JOY to see the deck lit up like this, and the icicle lights moving gently in the breeze. Absolutely gorgeous. It REALLY transformed our outdoor area completely! LOVE LOVE LOVE these lights!