What Are Pixel Props?
If you've ever driven past a house with a jaw-dropping holiday light display — synchronized music, thousands of individually controlled lights, giant glowing snowflakes and candy canes — there's a good chance pixel props were involved.
Pixel props are decorative display pieces (usually cut from coroplast, a heavy-duty corrugated plastic) with holes drilled in a pattern to hold individually addressable LED pixels. Each pixel can be controlled independently, which means you can program animations, colors, and effects that sync to music using software like xLights.
The result? A display that looks like it belongs in a theme park — built right in your front yard.
What Do You Need to Get Started?
Getting into pixel props doesn't have to be overwhelming. At its core, you need four things:
- Pixel props — the coroplast shapes that hold your lights (snowflakes, candy canes, arches, wreaths, and more)
- Pixels — the individual LED nodes that plug into the holes on your props. Most Gilbert Engineering props are designed for 12mm Bullet pixels.
- A controller — a device that receives your sequence data and tells each pixel what color to display. The Baldrick 8 Port Controller is a popular choice for beginners and pros alike.
- Sequencing software — xLights is the industry standard and it's free. It's where you create or import the light show sequences that bring your display to life.
Choosing Your First Prop
Start small and build up. A few great first props:
- Flake C or Flake D — compact snowflakes that are easy to mount, wire, and sequence. Great for learning the basics without a huge investment.
- IMPRESSION Candy Cane — available in sizes from 2ft to 7.5ft, these are beginner-friendly and instantly recognizable.
- Arches 6ft — versatile props that work as driveway arches or roofline accents. Available in single, double, or triple row depending on how many nodes you want to manage.
A good rule of thumb: start with 1–3 props, get comfortable with wiring and sequencing, then expand your display the following year.
Coro vs. IMPRESSION — What's the Difference?
Gilbert Engineering offers two main prop styles:
- Coro props are made from white or black coroplast — clean, durable, and great for any display. The pixel holes are precision-drilled and ready to fill.
- IMPRESSION props take it further with full-color UV printing on the coroplast surface. When the pixels are off, the prop looks like a piece of art. When they're on, the UV print adds depth and color that makes the display pop even in daylight.
Both are 100% Designed & Made in the USA.
Ready to Start?
Browse the full Gilbert Engineering lineup to find your first prop — from compact accent flakes to massive statement pieces like the Mother of All Wreaths. Every prop ships with everything you need to get started, and our community is always ready to help.