As the holiday season nears its close, the age-old debate about whether it is right to leave the Christmas lights on all the time becomes a bone of contention among families and friends. Definitely, keeping them on throughout the day can add a magical touch to the entire neighborhood, but we should not ignore the implications of keeping them on 24/7.
Energy Consumption and Costs
Leaving Christmas lights on 24/7 can lead to a significant increase in your energy consumption bill. Consider using LED Christmas lights if you are planning to keep them on throughout the day because, compared to traditional incandescent lights, LED Christmas lights are not as energy-hungry. LED Christmas lights tend to consume 80% less energy. A standard LED strand usually consumes around 5 watts of energy, whereas a single strand of traditional C9 bulbs can consume a massive 175 watts of energy. Although LED Christmas lights are a bit expensive, given their longer lifespan and lower energy consumption, it always makes sense to opt for them.
Benefits of Leaving Christmas Lights On
Let’s be honest! Leaving Christmas lights on has its own share of advantages, and the chief among them is the continuous festive atmosphere it creates. People feel jubilant whenever they see those warm Christmas lights twinkling. Without these Christmas lights, it is hard to imagine how the spirit of Christmas can be fully captured. When all the homes in a neighborhood are illuminated, it starts oozing out a sense of community and collective celebration.
Leaving Christmas lights on can act as a deterrent for burglars. Well-lit homes are much less likely to be targeted by thieves since there is always a possibility that they might get spotted by others. This can be comforting for those families who tend to go on a tour for an extended period of time, leaving their homes unattended.
Christmas lights can also help uplift the mood of those people who just hate the winter season. Let’s be honest, winter is kinda gloomy, and the weather is not uplifting. But with so many Christmas lights around, you can at least feel a bit better, thus making those long winter nights a little more bearable for ordinary people like you and me.
Potential Drawbacks
Keeping Christmas lights on throughout the day has its drawbacks as well, and the chief among them is the higher energy cost. Another major disadvantage of keeping these lights on 24/7 is the fact that these Christmas lights are not designed to be left on 24/7. It can have a dramatic impact on the lifespan of these Christmas lights. Constant use can make the bulbs burn out faster, and this can snowball into a major wiring issue that can dampen the festive spirit of Christmas if not dealt with immediately. Frequent replacement of bulbs will be the need of the hour in such scenarios. This will be both costly and inconvenient in the long run.
Christmas lights, if left on overnight, can lead to minor tiffs with your neighbors, especially if you live on the same street or in close proximity. Yes, of course, most people love the display of these lights, but not all could be on the same page.
Continuously running Christmas lights can put your old wiring system to the test. There is absolutely no need to put extra strain on your old wiring system unless you don’t mind dealing with electrical hazards. You need to double-check to ensure that your old electrical system can handle that much extra load; otherwise, it may be a good idea to switch the lights off at regular intervals.
Best Practices for Christmas Light Use
Smart plugs or timers can be a lifesaver in such situations as they help turn off the lights after a certain period of time, thus helping save energy. By attaching smart plugs, you will be able to stop the Christmas lights from getting overheated in the process. Always opt for LED lights because they consume 75% less energy and tend to last much longer. Solar-powered Christmas lights are also gaining popularity as they don’t rely on grid electricity and thus help reduce your carbon footprint.
