It may seem like a cliche, but there is something magical about fairy lights. They are small and delicate to look at, but when wrapped around a tree, a banister, a pillar or even a building, they add something that leaves people in awe. Traditionally, they are associated with Christmas, particularly with the decorated pine in the corner with presents underneath, and beads of blue, red, green and yellow lights hugging it. They might be flashing or they might be constant, but they are nevertheless hard to miss.

It is not just the Christmas tree that gets the lighting effect, of course, with outdoor Christmas lights used to light up homes during the festive season. But this is not the only time of year that these lights can be used. In fact, they can be used for any event and for almost any reason. Red lights can add mood to a romantic location, while multi-coloured strings of lights can add cheer to a birthday party. When it comes to a wedding, arguably the biggest single day in a life, wedding lights can add more magic to the wedding party.

The list of events that can be enhanced through the use of lights is almost unending. The reason is their ability of capture the imagination, even of an adult. The history of the lights themselves reveal that they were not invented for practical purposes in the first place, with the owner of the Savoy Theatre in London requesting that a set of miniature electric lights be made for a production of Iolanthe, by Gilbert and Sullivan, in 1882. Their purpose was to enhance the costumes of the fairies in the operetta, which ultimately earned them the name they have today.

When it comes to a wedding, it is normal to plan everything down to the smallest detail. Logistically, the whole event is often run with almost military precision and the stress in the months building up to the big day can be high. Increasingly, couples and wedding planners are opting to enhance the mood of the reception party to promote a more relaxed feel and allow the bride and groom to enjoy their evening all the more.

Lights are essential in creating that enhanced mood, with soft tones encouraging a calmer effect and helping to create a warmer emotion. These complement the event but there is a selection of styles and colours to choose from to ensure the right effect is promoted.

For example, net and curtain lights provide glamorous backdrops for photographs during the party, while battery lights that are powered simply by a couple of ordinary pencil batteries, allow individual tables to sparkle throughout the night. Colours can range from warm white to a more contemporary shade of pink, ensuring that all individual tastes can be catered for.

Of course, Christmas trees are synonymous with a sense of a good time. Between the presents at their base and the colourful trinkets and streamers that decorate it, for most of us there is an immediate association with family, friends, food, song and happiness. The lights that adorn the tree itself play no small part in establishing that feeling. The same can certainly be said for the room in which it is situated, which is often decorated with lights stretching across window frames and over wall paintings.

Outdoors, the effect can be far greater, as outdoor Christmas lights include ropes and nets of flashing multicoloured or clear white lights stretching around entire homes. Lights are also specially designed to mimic icicles, which can then be hung along veranda roofs or above window sills. The extent of the Christmas light decoration can be staggering, but for millions of families around the country, it adds to the excitement of preparations and the sense of celebration.

Even so, there are fairy lights for parties of any type and description. From the university students who just want to add something amusing to their campus room to the debutante who wants a curtain of clear white lights to add that extra elegance to a photo background, there are lights for everyone. An anniversary party can be enriched with wedding lights, while no reason sometimes proves to be a convincing excuse to put up last year's Christmas lights to add an extra sparkle to the day. It never has to be just for a Christmas tree.