How Much Does It Cost to Run Christmas Lights?

LED light strings are very efficient: a string of 100 LED mini lights typically uses about 5–10 W. A 100 W display therefore means a fair amount of decoration, such as ten or more LED strings, or a few strings plus a lit inflatable or an older incandescent set.

At 100 W for 6 hours a night, the display uses 0.6 kWh a day: about $0.11 in the US and £0.16 in the UK. A season of about a month uses roughly 18 kWh, so the whole season costs about the same as our monthly figure: $3.31 in the US, £4.80 in the UK or €6.60 in Germany.

Big outdoor displays are a different story. Hundreds of large bulbs, floodlights and several inflatables can add up to 1,000–3,000 W, ten to thirty times the typical figure. Add up the wattage on each item's label and enter the total in the calculator.

Old-style incandescent mini lights use about 0.4 W per bulb, so a 100-light string draws around 40 W. Large C7 and C9 incandescent bulbs use about 5–7 W each, so a single 25-bulb string can draw 125–175 W. LED versions of the same strings typically draw a tenth to a quarter as much.

LEDs also run cool and last much longer than incandescent bulbs, which is why switching is usually the biggest saving available. Solar-powered and battery-powered lights don't add to your electricity bill at all, although battery sets need new batteries.

In Europe, North America and much of Asia, Christmas falls in winter, when it gets dark early, so lights often run from late afternoon until bedtime. Six hours a night is a reasonable average for a timer set from dusk to late evening.

In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America, Christmas is in midsummer. Evenings stay light until late, so lights usually go on later and run for fewer hours, which lowers the cost.

The same maths works for lights for Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year or any other festival: watts × hours × your price per kWh.

Ranges are typical for lights on sale in 2026. The wattage is printed on the box or on a tag near the plug; add up every item you plug in and use the total in the calculator.

• Switch to LED strings. Replacing even one string of large incandescent bulbs makes a noticeable difference.
• Use a plug-in timer or smart plug so the lights go off at bedtime and never run during the day.
• Turn indoor lights off when nobody is in the room.
• Keep the season short: each extra week adds about a quarter of the monthly cost.
• Use solar strings for gardens and balconies, especially in summer-Christmas countries with long sunny days.

• Space heater
• Electric blanket
• Air conditioner
• Ceiling fan
• Bill analyzer