It’s December and folks are digging through garages, closets and attics to get out boxes of Christmas decorations.  Soon houses will be illuminated with colorful lights, both inside and out.  Lawns will be adorned with candy canes, Santa and reindeer.  As well as, giant inflatable characters like Snoopy and the Grinch. According to the National Retail Federation, this year Americans will spend $6 billion on Christmas decorations.  As for trees, consumers will spend $3.4 billion on them.  $800 million on real ones and $2.6 billion on fake ones.

In addition to the cost of buying decorations, there’s also the cost of keeping the lights turned on.  Using LED (light emitting diodes) lights can help cut utility bills.  They use considerably less energy than incandescent lights, and they last longer.  Incandescent lights last 2,000 hours, while LED bulbs can last for 100,000 hours or more according to the Consumer Energy Center in California.

As for the cost, a string of older, incandescent lights can use up to 10 watts per bulb.  While, newer LED bulbs use as little as 5-watt bulbs.  They also burn brighter, in addition to burning longer.  This can add up to big savings over the holiday season.  For example, a string of 25 bulbs that are seven watts, can cost $3.02 per month.  While a 25 bulb string with 5 watt bulbs is $2.16 per month.  Multiply that by the hundreds of lights used to decorate an average household, and the savings adds up.

Don’t forget that safety is important over the holidays, as well.  Here are some tips from the Consumer Energy Center in California:

•Make sure all lights you purchase contain the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) label, which means they meet UL safety requirements.

•While you’re reading labels, be sure you’re buying the right set--for indoor use, outdoor use, or both.

•Before decorating, check all light sets for frayed wires, damaged sockets, or cracked insulation. If you find any defects, replace the entire set.

•All outdoor cords, plugs and sockets must be weatherproof. Keep electrical connections off the ground, and make sure wiring is kept clear of drainpipes and railings to prevent any risk of shock. It’s also a good idea to use a ground fault circuit interrupter on each circuit. If current leaks through frayed or damaged wires, the interrupter will shut off the lights.

•Don’t overload your electrical circuits. Circuits in older homes carry a maximum of 1800 watts each. Most newer homes can handle 2400 watts each. To determine how many watts you’re using, multiply the number of holiday bulbs by the number of watts per bulb. (If you’re not sure of the wattage, use 10 watts per bulb just to be safe!) When you’re calculating the total, don’t forget to include appliances, normal lighting, and other electrical equipment already running on the same circuit. 

•Remember that hot bulbs can ignite dry tree branches. To avoid disaster, keep trees watered well and keep extension cords and light strings away from the water. For safety’s sake, light your tree only when you are at home and awake to enjoy it. As an extra precaution, keep a fire extinguisher handy, and be sure your home’s smoke detectors have new batteries and that they’re working properly.