These Christmas lights can save up to 90% on your Texas electric bill. Here’s what to know

Dalia Faheid
·2 min read

With Christmas weeks away, you may start decorating for the holiday by wrapping bright Christmas lights around your house, but that may also add to your electricity bill.

In Texas, the state average cost of running Christmas lights in 2022 was $14.12, per a report from Today’s Homeowner. That’s 17% higher than the 2021 average, an increase of $2.05.

But the cost of Christmas lights is made significantly lower if you swap your old Christmas lights for energy-efficient LEDs. That’s because LED lights have a much lower wattage, so will use significantly less energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer. Here’s what to know about them.

Why use LED Christmas Lights?

Switching to LED lights can help you cut your costs drastically, running on only 25% of the wattage incandescent bulbs use, according to Tom’s Guide. Although they typically cost more initially, they could help you save more in the long-run because they use less energy and don’t need to be replaced as frequently.

It costs $0.27 to light a 6-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days with LEDs, compared to $10 for incandescent lights, per Kiplinger. According to USA Today, if you light your decorations from 5 to 11 p.m. every day in December, here’s how much your bill could be impacted.

  • Average decorations with LED lights: $5 to $7 increase

  • Average decorations with incandescent lights: $33 increase

  • Elaborate decorations using LED lights: $47 increase

  • Elaborate decorations using incandescent lights: $350 increase

Alternatively, you could opt for solar-powered lights to decorate your home, which use solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. They charge during the day, helping you save on energy costs.

Choosing smaller battery powered decorations will also keep you from using extra energy, Tom’s Guide says.

Tips to save on energy costs with Christmas decorations

Follow these tips from Homes & Gardens to further save on your electricity bill this holiday season:

  • Work out exactly how many lights you need for your Christmas decorations to help you save money by avoiding excess bulbs. That will depend on both the height and density, for example a 7 foot medium density tree will require about 900 lights. Use this Christmas Lights Calculator to help you find the right number.

  • You could conserve energy and unplug them when you’re not home. Turning lights off for long periods of time such as when you leave a room or go to bed will reduce your energy consumption and lower your energy bill.