This post is sponsored by Govee but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Holiday Magic, Zero Effort: My Favorite Lazy-Mom Hack for the Season
Every year, I tell myself this will be the season I finally have my holiday decorating act together. You know—the sparkling lights, the cozy glow, the “it looks straight out of a Hallmark movie” vibe. But reality usually looks more like me wrestling a ball of string lights in the garage while my husband climbs a wobbly ladder, muttering under his breath (valid, honestly). I love the idea of creating holiday magic for my kids, but between work, school events, and the mental load of, well, the world as we know it, I rarely have the time or energy to make it happen.
That’s why this year, I decided to make things easier on myself (and my husband). Instead of another season of last-minute decorating chaos, I found a smarter solution that gives us all the festivity with zero effort: Govee’s Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism. Because low-maintenance doesn’t mean less festive—it means using smart, low-effort holiday decorating hacks that keep the holidays fun instead of piling on unnecessarily stressful tasks.
We first discovered Govee last year when refreshing my kids’ playroom with their Curtain Lights, and since then, we’ve fully turned into a Govee family. We’ve added their gadgets to nearly every corner of our home—kitchen lights, air purifiers, even an ice maker. They’re sleek, easy to control from my phone, and fun to use. My husband has been eyeing their permanent outdoor lights since last year, and we finally got our hands on them just in time for Halloween and the holidays.
Meet the smart lighting upgrade that changed everything
Even before we tried the Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism, I knew installation would be simple. Every Govee product we’ve set up has been refreshingly easy, thanks to their step-by-step guides and simple design. My husband is the designated “tech setup” person in our house, and not once has he run into an issue with Govee’s app or hardware. A complete vibe switch from cursing on the ladder, if you will. To make it even easier for us this year, we outsourced the permanent light installation job to a professional, and even they had high compliments about how simple Govee’s setup was.
What I love most is that all of our lights and appliances connect seamlessly through the Govee app, so I can control everything—from brightness to color effects—without moving from the couch. The app offers millions of customizable color combinations and preset scenes, allowing me to switch our home’s vibe from pumpkin orange to a winter wonderland with just a tap.
And here’s the best part: This is a one-time setup that eliminates the annual decorating stress. No more dragging bins out of storage or braving the cold to hang lights. Once they’re installed, the Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism stay put year-round. They’re weather-resistant (IP68-rated) and built to last through every season, so our home looks put-together 365 days a year. Whether it’s spooky Halloween nights, Christmas mornings, or summer BBQs, our lights match the moment.
From spooky season to the holidays—versatile lighting that lasts year-round
So yes, one of my favorite parts about these smart permanent lights is how easily adaptable they are. Govee even partnered with filmmaker Ryan Connolly for creative Halloween inspiration, showing just how cinematic these lights can make your home look. Here are some of our go-to settings:
Halloween: Moody purples, greens, and reds for a haunted glow that the kids can’t get enough of.
Fall/Thanksgiving: Warm oranges and golds for all the cozy fall feels.
Winter holidays: Twinkling whites, icy blues, or the classic red-and-green combo.
Spring/summer: Soft pastels or bright colors for backyard dinners and birthday parties.
The Govee app lets me switch between all of these easy outdoor holiday lights in seconds, which makes it a fun family activity, as my kids have become obsessed with helping choose the next color theme. What used to feel like another task on my to-do list has actually turned into something we all look forward to.
Why this “lazy mom” hack is actually genius
Call it lazy if you want, but I call it efficient. Installing permanent lights once and using them all year saves time, money, and most importantly, mental energy. Instead of paying someone to hang lights every winter or dealing with it ourselves, we now have a beautiful setup that just works. But beyond convenience, it’s also about joy. There’s something so special about pulling into the driveway after a long day and seeing our home lit up—and it’s even sweeter when you know you don’t have to set aside an entire day tearing it all down, just to do it again 11 months later.
In the end, the Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism have become much more than just decor for our home. They’re a small change that made a big difference and have freed up time for what really matters: making memories with the people you love most.
Shop more Govee lighting
Here are a few of our faves from Govee to add flair to your home all year long:
Since becoming a young mama in 2020, Steph has found joy in creating beautiful yet relatable content surrounding the raw realities of motherhood. She believes showcasing both the wonders and struggles of being a parent helps other mothers understand that they are not alone in their journey.
As the Branded Content Editorial Assistant, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
This post is sponsored by Govee but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
