What Do Green Porch Light and Red Porch Light Mean?

When the lights on the front porch are turned on, it usually means that people are welcome to stop by for a visit. Typically, porch lights come generally in pale yellow, but sometimes they also come in other colors, such as green or red. So, what do a green porch light and a red porch light mean?

A green porch light typically signifies appreciation for U.S. military veterans. This is practiced during Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. Whereas a red porch light is for American Heart Awareness Month.

Having either a green or red porch light isn’t such a random choice, and there is more than one reason for doing so. It could be to celebrate or commemorate something or to express advocacy. Also, it could be for purely aesthetic reasons. But aside from green and red, other porch light colors each have their meanings as well.

Read on to know more about what does a green porch light, and red porch light mean.

What Does a Green Porch Light and Red Porch Light Mean?

It isn’t simply a random choice when you see either a green or red porch light on. There’s more than one reason for doing so. It could be to celebrate something or to express advocacy. Also, it could be for purely aesthetic reasons. But aside from these colors, other porch light colors each have their meanings as well.

Myth About the Red Porch Light Meaning

We have been answering what a red porch light means, but let’s talk a bit about what it doesn’t mean. There has been a long-held misconception that red porch lights are a symbol of gun reform. Others say that keeping a red light on means that there are no guns in your home.

As it turns out, this is a meme going around since 2016 and was debunked in 2018. So, when you see a red porch light, take note of the date and remember what it is you’re supposed to be celebrating for the month.

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What Does a Green Porch Light Mean?

While a green porch light is typically for Veterans’ Awareness, turning a green porch light has other meanings too.

Let’s briefly talk about all these, which include the following:

Sustainable Development

St. Patrick’s Day
Lyme Disease Awareness
Veteran’s Day

1. Sustainable Development

Green is a color commonly associated with nature. This makes it the perfect porch light color for expressing your love for the environment. Green porch lights are trendy in the Netherlands, serving to promote policies for sustainable development.

2. St. Patrick’s Day

Green porch light meaning can vary depending on the month. In March, it is common to see green porch lights in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Green has long been associated with the Irish, being the color of leprechauns and four-leaf clovers. As such, the color green has also come to symbolize luck and prosperity.

3. Lyme Disease Awareness

What does a green porch light mean in May? It means raising awareness about Lyme Disease and other incurable ailments. May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and as part of the “Light Up Green” campaign, people worldwide light up their porches green in support of the cause to fight this dangerous illness.

4. Veteran’s Day

Every 11th of November, Veteran’s Day, Americans honor brave military men and women all across the globe who have risked or lost their lives in the service of their country.

It represents the color of army camouflage. So, if you change your porch lights green, it’s like a symbolic act of lighting the way home for the many U.S. servicemen stationed overseas.

The “Green Light a Vet” movement commemorates them by putting up green lights, not just on porches. But they also do this in their homes, offices, and every visible location for the whole day. Some practice this for the entire month of November. Some even practice this year-round.

What Does a Red Porch Light Mean?

While a red porch light symbolizes American Heart Awareness, it also has other meanings.

These include the following:

Valentine’s Day

American Heart Awareness Month
Halloween

1. Valentine’s Day

Just as the seasons change, the red porch light meaning changes along with it. Red is a color that traditionally symbolizes love and passion. We all know how common it is to see a lot of red in February.

This dates back to Chinese tradition, where red is a sensual color associated with lovers. Coincidentally, the Chinese New Year usually falls in February as well. So, what better way than lighting your porch red to celebrate both the new lunar year and the season of hearts?

2. American Heart Awareness Month

Speaking of hearts, and coinciding with its season, red is also the designated color for American Heart Month. Every February, American Heart Month encourages every city nationwide to go red. Doing so illuminates homes and offices everywhere with red light to raise awareness for Women’s Heart Health. A red porch light is the least that many citizens can do to show their support for this worthy cause.

3. Halloween

But red isn’t just the color of hearts and love. On the flip side, it is also the color of blood and death. During Halloween, you can use red porch lights to honor those who have died due to violence. Or, on a less-heavy note, it can give your house an appropriately spooky ambiance, all the better to frighten any visiting trick-or-treaters.

Other Porch Light Color and Their Meaning

Aside from green and red, there are other porch light colors, and they all have their meanings:

What Does a Blue Porch Light Mean?

A blue porch light can either mean:

Support for Law Enforcers

Commemoration of World Autism Awareness

1. Support for Law Enforcers

Blue is a color that has come to be associated with law enforcement. After all, the police are the “the boys in blue.” The police, of course, are meant to protect and serve the people, but as of late, they are often cast in a bad light.

However, those who continue to appreciate them choose to express their support by casting their homes in blue light. Having a blue porch light is a way to honor and show support for local law enforcers. It’s also a means for the resident to indicate their trust and cooperation should they be called upon by the police.

2. World Autism Awareness

A blue porch light can also raise awareness of autism to promote acceptance of persons afflicted with this disorder. It is also to condemn acts of bullying and exclusion against them.

Blue lights can be seen flaring on World Autism Awareness Day. It was founded in 2007 and is celebrated every 2nd day of April. Aside from lighting your porches blue, you can also dress in blue. You can also generally display the color in any way you wish to show your love and support for autism-afflicted people.

Again, what do a Green Porch Light and Red Porch Light Mean? A green porch light symbolizes veterans and military support. Meanwhile, a red porch light can mean several things, including the American Heart Association, Firefighters, Prostitution, and Valentine’s Day.

What Does a Purple Porch Light Mean?

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 2007, the Domestic Violence Task Force of Covington, Washington, started the “Purple Light Nights” movement. This is to raise awareness of domestic violence.

Shine a Light and Save a Life

With the motto of “shine a light and save a life,” purple porch lights are turned on. This is to remember the victims who have died from domestic violence and honor those who have survived it.

Two Messages That You’re Conveying When You Put Purple Lights

Lighting your porch purple for domestic violence awareness can mean two things. First, you are declaring that domestic violence is not tolerated in your home. It is a haven for those who have been victimized by it.

Second, suppose the resident is themselves a domestic abuse victim. In that case, a purple porch light can serve as a reminder that anyone can be a victim, just as anyone can be a survivor.

Blacklights Can Work to Achieve That Purple Glow

You don’t necessarily have to get purple light bulbs if you want to light up your porch in purple to show your support. Blacklights can work just as well in providing you with a purple glow.

What Does an Orange Porch Light Mean?

Here is another rather dark porch light color meaning. In 2017, in Delphi, Indiana, residents lit up their porches in orange to support police officers. These officers were tracking down a serial killer who had murdered two girls.

The “Light Up Delphi” movement spread not just through Indiana but across the United States. Proceeds from the sale of orange porch lights went for the benefit of the victims’ families. Even after the police caught the killer, people still turn on orange porch lights every March – the month of the victims’ disappearance.

What Do Green and Red or Multi-colored Porch Lights Mean?

Sometimes, a homeowner can choose to light up their porch with more than one color, such as both green and red porch lights, at the same time. You can expect to see this particular color combination during the Christmas season.

Celebrating Christmas or Halloween

In general, multi-colored lights can commonly be seen during Christmas or Halloween. For the latter, multi-colored light bulbs are typically used because they can easily be seen from a distance.

Support Multiple Advocacies

Having different colored porch lights could also mean showing support for multiple advocacies. These include green for the environment, red for heart health, blue for autism awareness, purple for domestic violence awareness, and so on.

How Porch Light Colors Affect Mood

The kind of color you light your porch up with exudes a particular ambiance that can affect the mood of your home. It can evoke specific emotions, affecting the way that people feel. This includes their perception of the homeowner:

1. Green Porch Light Mood Effect

Green is an attractive, emotionally satisfying color that makes people feel calm, comfortable, and at ease. The color of nature also represents growth and balance. It’s very appealing to environmentally-conscious visitors.

2. Red Porch Light Mood Effect

In contrast to the inviting green, a red porch light practically means “YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE, GET LOST!”

Red is a very foreboding color and is generally used to warn of danger. Lighting a porch in red could either mean that the area is unsafe. It can also mean that the homeowner doesn’t want any visitors. At any rate, when you see this color, your first impulse is to stay away.

3. Blue Porch Light Mood Effect

Blue is another welcoming color. A blue porch light gives the impression that the resident is honest, trustworthy, and respectable. Blue light also decreases anxiety and increases productivity. However, it does keep you awake, so it’s best to avoid it before bedtime or if you have insomnia.

4. Purple Porch Light Mood Effect

The color purple evokes a sense of spirituality. Light purple, in particular, is a soothing, relaxing hue that reduces anxiety and hostility. Also, it promotes calmness and openness.

Those who walk under a purple porch light feel safe and welcome. It’s the color of good fortune or luck. Anyone who passes by it wishes to have a good time and look forward to better things to come.

5. Orange Porch Light Mood Effect

Orange is an energizing color for people who love to party all night long. If you’re throwing together a significant event, an orange porch light will signal potential passing partygoers to your place.

Aside from this, cheerful orange porch lights let people know that your home is a chill and happy place in general.

6. Yellow Porch Light Mood Effect

This is the color of energy, creativity, freshness, joy, and happiness. Yellow positively affects a person’s mood by decreasing anxiety and amplifying warmth and comfort.

A house with yellow porch lights means that the resident likes to hang out with fun-loving people. They are always eager to meet new friends.

7. Pink Porch Light Mood Effect

The color pink has been known to lessen levels of aggressive behavior. A homeowner with pink porch lights is always on the lookout for loyal friends. They may be trying to project a harmless image to attract them.

As such, visitors will tend not to take things at face value. They would want to be sure that the resident means no harm before meeting them.

8. White Porch Light Mood Effect

White porch lights evoke a pure, clean, and inviting feeling. On such a doorstep, visitors from all life are welcome regardless of age, race, color, or creed. With the color of traditional Christmas lights, people feel warm and comfortable beneath its divine glow.

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Conclusion – What Does a Green Porch Light and Red Porch Light Mean?

A green porch light typically symbolizes appreciation for U.S. military veterans. This is practiced during Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. Whereas a red porch light is for American Heart Awareness Month.

The reason why a porch light is green, red, or any other color may come down to the homeowner’s tastes or whims. But it can also mean so much more. Whether they’re celebrating a festive occasion or taking a stand on a relevant issue, color is a way to convey what they feel visual. In turn, it affects the way that others think as well.