How Much Do Those Over-the-Top Holiday Light Displays Cost?
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Blame it on Clark Griswold and his obsession with a “good old-fashioned family Christmas” that famously included 25,000 Christmas lights—so many that the dad of two used up all the energy meant for his entire neighborhood and sent the local power plant into energy reserves. Ever since Christmas Vacation became a holiday classic in 1989, there's a Clark Griswold in every neighborhood, someone who puts up over-the-top Christmas light displays regardless of what it might do to their electricity bills. So what do all those lights really cost at the end of the day?
Christmas lights did not originate with Clark Griswold, of course. They date back to 17th century Germany, when candles were used to light up the dark winter months as a reminder that light would return once again. The concept spread to the rest of Europe and has evolved over the centuries from candle lit evenings to entire houses lit up with musical lights dancing to the tune of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
There are entire towns across the country transforming their homes and storefronts into winter wonderlands, each with a different theme. Touring these elaborate light displays has become a family holiday tradition for many.
But it comes at a cost.
“Use 30 strands of incandescent and the energy bill alone is $840 every year,” says Dara Greaney, CEO and Founder of LEDlightexpert.com. “Even with LEDs that cost a few hundred. That on top of the one to five thousand you can spend on those decorations in the first place.”
As for Clark Griswold’s 25,000 mini twinkling lights, Greaney estimates that this particular display “would be $2K plus in today’s energy rates.”
Electricity costs isn't the only thing to consider. Many people hire professionals to help them with their outdoor lighting displays, especially if they’re hoping to become a stop on the local holiday tour. Their services can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $4,500, or around $2 to $5 per footage of roofline, depending on the grandness of your display.
In Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, a neighborhood famous for its over-the-top Christmas-themed light displays, decorations to a single house can cost up to $8,000.
While the price tag can certainly be daunting, there are ways to minimize the potential for massive electricity bills and still win a neighborhood award for most spectacular Christmas light display. “Focus on the outlines and highlighting a few specific areas instead,” Greaney suggests. “Save a ton of money on lights, energy and much easier to set up and take down.”
The Department of Energy makes the case that LED light bulbs “last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting.” They are more durable because they are constructed with epoxy lenses, instead of glass, which breaks more easily. “The same LED string could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now,” reads a post on the Department of Energy's website.
A laser light display is another relatively affordable—and comparatively dramatic—option.
Outdoor Christmas Laser Lights
So, this year, will you spread joy with an over-the-top Christmas light display (regardless the cost), or are you going to pack the family into the car with some hot chocolate and enjoy someone else’s extravaganza? The choice is yours.
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