With energy costs remaining a significant concern for households across the UK, a surprising number of people are considering scaling back their festive spirit. Financial guidance from MoneySavingExpert (MSE), however, offers a brilliant solution that could keep your home glowing without draining your wallet.
The Festive Lighting Dilemma
Recent research highlights the extent of financial worries affecting Christmas traditions. According to data from GoCompare, 14% of UK households decided against putting up Christmas decorations last year, primarily due to anxieties about soaring energy bills. The desire to celebrate is clearly still there, but the perceived cost is creating a major barrier for many families.
In response to this widespread concern, the team at MoneySavingExpert, founded by consumer champion Martin Lewis, has issued clear and practical advice. Their analysis presents a straightforward switch that can dramatically reduce the expense of festive lighting, making it affordable for virtually everyone.
The LED vs. Incandescent Cost Breakdown
The core of MSE's advice centres on the type of lights you use. The recommendation is to abandon traditional incandescent Christmas lights in favour of modern LED alternatives. The financial difference between the two is stark.
Experts from MSE explain the numbers in a recent online blog. They state that running 100 LED bulbs for 12 hours will cost approximately 1p. In a direct comparison, the cost for the same number of incandescent bulbs over the same period is 12p for 12 hours.
To put this into a real-world scenario, consider a typical household that runs a string of 100-bulb LED lights for six hours each day throughout December. MSE estimates that the total energy cost for the entire month would be roughly 14p. This minimal cost makes festive lighting an accessible luxury once again.
Why LEDs Are a Brighter Investment
The cost savings are not the only advantage of choosing LED Christmas lights. There are practical and safety benefits that make them a superior choice overall.
You can often distinguish between the two types by their material. LED lights are typically made from plastic, while incandescent bulbs are commonly encased in glass. This difference is a major clue to their efficiency. As reported by Elesi, incandescent bulbs waste the vast majority of their energy, using less than 5% to create visible light and losing the rest as heat.
This explains why old-fashioned glass bulbs become dangerously hot after extended use, posing a potential fire hazard, while plastic LED strings remain cool and safe to the touch. Furthermore, MoneySavingExpert highlights that LEDs can last up to 50 times longer than their incandescent counterparts, making them a worthwhile long-term investment that saves money on replacements as well as energy.
Other money-saving experts, like the team at Afforda, have echoed this advice. They also recommend using light timers to automatically switch decorations off, ensuring they aren't left on unnecessarily overnight or when the house is empty.
For those eager to calculate the exact cost of their own Christmas display, MoneySavingExpert provides a handy online tool on its website. This simple swap to LED lighting is a small change that can make a big difference to your December energy bill, allowing you to celebrate the season in full sparkle.
