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Writer's pictureLaura Alliss

How Much Energy Is Used At Christmas?


Twinkling Christmas lights can instantly make our homes feel cosy and inviting, presenting us with a warm and welcoming place to keep the cold at bay. So, as the summer season slips away and many of us start turning our attention towards the joy and festivities that occur throughout the autumn and winter months, you might have found yourself wondering ‘Do Christmas lights use a lot of electricity?’ 


Alongside the wonder and delight that festive lights can bring all of us, it is important to consider the energy that is consumed creating these displays and the financial costs associated with this, particularly as energy bills are set to rise once again. 


In this article, we’ll break down the associated energy usage and costs to help you enjoy the festivities without breaking the bank. 


Do Indoor Christmas Lights Use a lot of Electricity? 


The tradition of the modern Christmas tree can be traced to western Germany, however, it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that the custom was popularised in England by the German-born husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert. 


Christmas trees throughout the Victorian era were decorated with small gifts and toys, paper chains, ribbons, strings of popcorn and, somewhat alarmingly, real candles. So, the good news is that modern technology has made this tradition much safer! 


Whether you enjoy the tradition of choosing a real tree to decorate or you prefer to re-use an artificial tree year after year, most people adorn their Christmas trees with two sets of string lights each containing 100 individual points of illumination. 


Do LED Christmas Lights Use a lot of Electricity? 


Not only do LED lights last more than 20 times longer than traditional incandescent lights, but this technology also uses around 90% less energy which makes them a much more economical choice. 


The wattage of your LED Christmas lights will be clearly displayed on the packaging, and you can determine the precise kW of your lights by multiplying the wattage by 0.001.

 

So, let’s say that you have a string of 100 LED lights that you have calculated to have an energy output of 0.005kW. If you want to have your lights on for 8 hours per day, the total output from this string of lights would be 0.04kW. 


From October 1 2024, the energy price cap for electricity is primed to increase to 24.50p per kWh and remain at this price until December 31st 2024. 


Now, let’s assume that you put your Christmas lights up on December 1st 2024 and you want to leave them up for the whole month of December. Over these 31 days, it would cost you just 30p to have this one set of lights on for 8 hours per day. 


Do Traditional Incandescent Lights Use a Lot of Electricity? 


Now, if you’re wondering how this cost compares to the cost of running a set of incandescent lights for the same amount of time, let’s run through a quick calculation. 


A typical set of incandescent string lights containing 100 bulbs will consume 40 watts of energy per hour. If you want to keep this string of lights on for 8 hours every day throughout the month of December it would cost you £2.43. 


Do Outdoor Christmas Lights Use a Lot of Electricity? 


As many Christmas lights now use LEDs, it is much more affordable to decorate the outside of your house for the festive season than it would have been when incandescent lights were more prevalent. 


The same calculations that we used above can be used to determine precisely how much money it will cost you to run your own personal selection of illuminated decorations, which we recommend doing as it can help you to determine how many hours you want to keep your lights on in order to keep within your ideal budget. 


As a reminder, the basic formula is: 


kW output x number of hours per day x 24.5p hourly electricity cost x number of days = cost per set of lights 


How to Save Energy This Christmas 


As we've seen, the answer to the question ‘Do Christmas lights use a lot of electricity?’ really depends on the types of Christmas lights you are using. As a solar and renewable energy specialist, Green Flare has a number of energy-efficient solutions and tips to help you have a greener, more sustainable Christmas that will also help you save energy and money this holiday season. 


Switch to LED Lights 


If you haven’t already, switching out incandescent lights for LED lights can save a significant amount of money across the festive period. We also recommend shopping around to find the most energy-efficient LEDs, as some sets can cost as little as 1p per week to run. 


Switch Lights on Mindfully 


Reducing your usage is the simplest way to keep costs down, but being mindful about when your Christmas lights are on is also important to stay safe this holiday season. We recommend ensuring that your lights are switched off whenever you leave the house and during the night. 


Employ Smart Cooking Techniques 


If you’re planning to cook a big festive meal this holiday season, batch-cooking dishes can help you keep your energy consumption to a minimum and save you time as well. Only open the oven door when absolutely necessary to maintain its temperature and keep lids on your pots and pans. 


Turn the Heat Down 


Turning your thermostat down by just a single degree can significantly reduce your energy consumption, and you probably won’t even notice the difference when you’re busy entertaining guests and enjoying the festivities.


Here at Green Flare, we’re proud to help customers across the UK cut costs and reduce their carbon footprints via the installation of high-quality renewable technologies. From solar panels to underfloor heating, get in touch to take your first steps to a cleaner future.

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