I have them tacked on the undersides of my kitchen cabinets to light my countertop. I love them there.

From AT:SF there's this:http://sanfrancisco.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/050506/look/look-light-canopy-008669

which is interesting...and this solution, that I love: http://sanfrancisco.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/112206/look/reversible-decor-martinas-chandelier-coverup-014969

Neither of them look Christmas-y to me.

I have a friend that tacked up a thin, white sheet to her ceiling. She put white Christmas lights between the sheet and the ceiling - it had a nice ethereal effect.

I hooked up a rope light to the underside of my wooden bedframe -- instant underbed lighting. It's a little silly but gives some nice ambient low light and looks cool!

Love the second idea that shannon linked to. Does anyone know precisely what to call that adapter that makes a "bulb-accepter" into an outlet (see I am electrically-challenged) - been googling everything I can think of with no luck finding it. TIA

I remember seeing something in a magazine (a long time ago) similar to what Tracey described except that it was on the wall over the headrest of a bed. It looked really nice.

Good question about holiday lights and some good solutions.

I live in an apt in an old house with high ceilings. There is a picture rail about 12-18" down from the ceiling (maybe 10-12 foot ceiling?). My apt has a long hallway but with no ceiling fixure, so it is a bit dark. Small xmas lights fit very well, without looking too seasonal, if the base of the light of wedged in the picture rail, with the little bulb pointing up. The cord tucks in nicely in the behind the rail, leaving most of the cord and bulb bases hidden from view. The only thing I don't like about this solution is the problem plug & outlet problem, currently the end of the cord runs down the wall next to a shelf, to reach an outlet. And I had to use a short extension cord to to reach.

I really like the links, thanks Shannon. I also have one of those "light socket to outlet" adaptors but I can't remember where I got it. Hardware store maybe?

I strung some dangly star lights from ikea across the top of the window frame as a cheap, festive alternative to a valance. the lights aren't at all Christmasy, they just provide a nice touch of sparkle at the window (especially looking in from outside!), and are the perfect amount of light for a date when used alone.

though until you get the wires neatly organized (which takes about forever...), the lights look messy and dorm-like.

A crafty friend had the standard cheapo string - and they looked excellent draped loosely on the floor circling around a plant. Really nice ambient light source at a party....I've also contemplated filling a fishbowl, or a plain glass vase (the kind you get flower store deliveries in( with a string of them....

There was a comment a few months ago, about the socket to plug adapter. They have them at home depot, but don't know what they are called.

Well, I saw another Samantha posting before, so I guess I'll modify my name...
I was in a lounge in Alphabet City a couple of months ago that used those icicle lights, if you know the kind I mean. The only way I can think to describe them is that in addition to there being a straight line of lights, there are also evenly spaced strings of lights hanging down. Does that make sense? Anyway, this lounge tacked those lights to a wall and covered the wall with gathered fabric. It actually looked quite gorgeous, but I think the rest of the decor would have to be right for it not to be too "trading spaces."

I Love x-mas lights. They have always signified the quest for creating beauty and glamour and a bit of year-round magic in a dull world. You're broke and live in a pit! Hang x-mas lights! So I'm older now - and I'm SICK of x-mas lights burning out. So I bought some industrial outdoor string lights and 11 watt colored bulbs to hang in my room.

I bought the bulbs here:
http://www.partylights.com/products/strings/B11.html

I got the string light here, where you pay by the foot and can get as much or as little as you want:
http://www.budgetlighting.com/store/agora.cgi?cart_id3657373.24602*GM0-V8&product=Light-Strings-Medium-Base

I just took this photo:

http://flickr.com/photos/84995794@N00/384091001/

forgive me, 3 bulbs have burnt out.

The AC adapter that I used for the chandelier project was this: http://www.levitonproducts.com/catalog/model_125.htm?sid=EAB12DFAD1DFDF2D2321EF56CF9B1163&pid=1208
That price is for 10 but normally they're like $1.50 each. I got mine at Home Depot and just asked for "that thing that turns a lamp into an AC outlet". My usual knowledgeable approach to hardware projects!

I recently saw a large jar filled with an entire strand of red lights. It looked essentially like this: http://loganjayne.com/light_jar.jpg. But the jar wasn't inverted.

I understand the sophistication issue. If done properly, glass blocks filled with Christmas Tree lights can look sharp. What you use on the front is really a matter of personal taste - could even be a piece of tissue paper which matches your color scheme.
I found one idea at this link: http://www.kissingfrogs.tv/blocklights.html but I'm sure that if you google glass block Christmas tree lights you can find more.

I once did the same as Suzanne above one holiday season -- placed strings of white mini lights tucked in the picture molding around my living room -- got such a positive reaction, I left them up for several years -- they gave off a wonderful soft light!

I used to do the strand-of-lights-stuffed-into-big-pickle-jar thing like Charles is suggesting. Great to use on the floor in a hallway if you have an outlet nice and low to the ground(so no cord would be hanging out).

Just throwing them randomly into a big antique fruit dish maybe glass, or I have used an old copper punch bowl, it makes a beautiful display.

Years ago, I bought a couple of 'bouquets' of 'tulips' in a thrift shop, (I know, plastic flowers!). I put them in a big vase with some other flower and branch like things. The vase sits in a dark-ish corner and I think its very cheery looking. I put it away in summer, I feel it is a winter thing, like candles, and I'm always glad to get it out again. I was beginning to think people would be tired of these lights but I see from the many comments that this is not so.

Try just dumping the whole string into a loosly-woven basket and putting it on a high shelf. You get bits of direct light peeking out from the openings in the weave and you also get a gentle uplight out of the top of the basket.

My old roommates once made a hanging lamp using Christmas lights. They fashioned a tube about 12" in diameter out of chicken wire, covered it in a tube of raw silk, crossed two sections of wire at right angles across the top, and draped the lights in loops hanging down inside the tube from the wire at the top. Then they secured the loops of lights with twist ties and hung it over our kitchen table. It turned out surprisingly cool -- wish I had a photo to show you!

They look good in a vase as mentioned. But if you are tired of the larger Xmas lights burning out, put them on a dimmer. You can use a table top or lamp dimmer which can be purchased at Loews or HomoDepot.

As Tracey suggested, long ago I used to have a thin sheet hung up on my ceiling behind which were white Christmas lights. It was indeed ethereal. Another thing I once had was a largish cylindrical glass jar filled with clear spare lightbulbs and a string of white lights. All that glass made for a lot of glittery reflections. Finally, when I was recently graduated I had a large cable spool that I used as an end table (I know), on which I used some door stops to elevate a circular glass table top I got from a friend. The underside of the top was covered with translucent window film. Under the top were the Christmas lights. Interesting 3-d effect.

Decorate with Christmas lights is a great time. I'm enjoy it since I was a kid. My parents and me always decorate their house with many lights. I also always like to look how other people decorate their homes. Although I think me and my parents are far from this biggest christmas lights house decorations we will continue to do that =)