A Guide to Energy-Efficient Christmas Lights

As the holiday season approaches, neighborhoods around the country partake in the American tradition of brightening up the night with Christmas lights. Unfortunately, these holiday displays consume a large amount of energy. According to the Center for Global Development, the United States uses more energy on holiday lights than El Salvador uses for everything all year. Additionally, the holiday lights from the U.S. burn bright enough to be seen from outer space.

Every year, it seems, the holiday decorations go up sooner and burn longer, leading to higher energy bills and a higher carbon footprint. It’s not uncommon to see Christmas decorations lighting up homes as early as Nov. 1, continuing well into the New Year.

In 2022, the average household spent around $16.48 powering holiday lights, a rise from the previous year, according to Today’s Homeowner. For those curious about how to anticipate holiday lighting costs, you can visit Duke Energy for its calculator, or you can use the finance website Kiplinger, which provides a handy formula:

(wattage/1000 x time in hours) x cost per kWh in cents = cost to run holiday lights

For context, let’s consider the legendary Christmas display from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, featuring 25,000 incandescent bulbs. Such a dazzling spectacle would cost today’s Griswolds a whopping $7,462 per month. Replace those with LED lights, and the cost drops dramatically to $1,612.

Saving Money and Energy When Using Christmas Lights

Indeed, one of the best ways to enjoy an energy-efficient holiday season is to make the switch to LED. Lasting up to 25 times longer and using at least 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, LED lights can significantly reduce your holiday energy expenditure.

If you want to cut costs and carbon, consider these holiday light best practices:

1. Start Later: Resist the temptation to start too early. Every extra day of illumination adds to your energy bill, not to mention the potential annoyance factor for less festive neighbors.
2. Go Solar: Solar-powered holiday lights may be a tad pricier upfront, but they could save you in the long run. Plus, they have the added bonus of reducing cable clutter.
3. Use a Timer: Optimize your light show by running it from sunset to bedtime. Remember, there’s no audience at noon or 3 a.m.
4. Rethink Inflatables: Inflatables might look great, but they are energy gluttons. Consider cutting down on your inflatable holiday cast to save some energy.
5. Watch Out for Phantom Load: Even when off, electronic holiday decorations can still consume power. For large displays, consider using a “smart” power strip to cut off power completely.
6. Turn Off When Away: Leaving town for the holidays? Turn off your festive display. It’s safer, and it saves energy.
7. Take Down Promptly: Make a New Year’s resolution to pack up your decorations promptly after the celebrations end. Prolonging the display only adds to your energy bill.