 |
| |
Last year we decided to cut our electric consumption further during the
Christmas season not because of cost but because of environmental
responsibility. In previous years, we had both the outside and inside
lit up. Outside bulbs were 7 W each so that added up. Inside we had
mini lights around windows and a fully lit tree. A couple years ago, we
went to 2 large strands (~75 bulbs) of 7 W topping 8 strands ribbon mini
lighting outdoors. This year, I kept 2 strands of the ribbon lighting for the railings, one
48 light strand of mini lights on one window, 4 strands of LED indoor
lights (3 W or less) (one on a window, 2 programmable blinking strands
on one wall, one on the staircase) and 35 W for the fiber optic tree.
We put up no 7 W light strands at all! I'm really pleased and so is DH!
Outdoor decorations take a real beating here and sure shooting it
will be blizzard conditions when they need to come down so he really
likes the idea of very limited decorations outdoors especially lights!
LED lights are estimated to cost 45 cents running 6 hr for 30 days at
12 cents per kWh. We pay just under 10 cents per kWh. To my
calculations, we should use the equilivalent to or less than a 60 W
light bulb running 6 hr per day for 30 days for our Christmas lights BUT
they still look gorgeous! LED lights have come a long way and the
colours are bright and vibrant. The style we bought look like they
sparkle so we have the look without the price! I'll be replacing the
ribbon lights with outdoor LED lights for next year. Other outdoor decorations were kept to a minimum this year. I used
gardland around the lamp post and railings then added a nice red bow at
each spot. They were bought on sale last year. The wind yesterday blew
2 bows off so I had to go hunting with a flashlight for them. |
| |
 |
| |
You should also put your lights on a timer. So that they come on at dusk and
go off around the time that people go to sleep. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
