It may be less expensive than you think
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Christmas lights are a crucial ingredient for creating a festive atmosphere in many homes. But with energy prices high amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, some families will be wondering if they may have to ditch their fairy lights this year.
Thankfully it seems the popular twinkly tree adornments are not as expensive to run as you may think. As long as you have modern LED lights – and don't leave them on all day – you could run them throughout the festive season for less than £1.
Paula Boston, visual merchandiser at retailer Festive Lights, said: “With rising electricity prices, it’s only natural to wonder if fairy lights, as pretty as they are, are going to cost you a small fortune. The answer, thankfully, is a resounding no.
"Modern Christmas lights use LEDs rather than filament bulbs which are less energy efficient. Plus, as they are designed to be decorative rather than offer practical lighting, they do tend to use relatively little electricity."
Running costs will of course vary depending on which particular lights you have, how many you use and your energy tariff. But as an example, staff at Festive Lights calculated that using their ConnectGo 5m Outdoor LED String Lights for six hours per night would cost just 71p per month.
They have also built a Christmas lights cost calculator so consumers can work out what they might end up spending.