One of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit is to decorate your home with lights and festive decorations. But as fun as holiday décor is, too many extra lights can quickly increase your energy consumption—and your electric bill.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to save energy during the holidays, from making changes to daily habits to adjusting your decorations.
Make the holidays even merrier with these holiday energy-saving tips and use less electricity during the most festive time of year.
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Lighting
Whether you decorate the whole house with Christmas lights or add a few strings to the mantelpiece, your holiday lighting can increase your energy consumption. Here are a few ways to save energy during the holidays by reducing your electricity usage.
Switch to LED Lights
LED lights, whether holiday or otherwise, shine brighter and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Plus, LED lights use as much as 75% less energy, reducing your energy consumption. While LEDs may cost a bit more than incandescent lights, the long-term savings make them well worth the investment. Look for ENERGY STAR® holiday lights for even more electricity savings.
Go Fiber Optic
While you can’t beat the smell of an authentic Christmas tree, artificial pre-lit fiber optic trees and decorations use LED bulbs, making these options the best choice for maximum energy conservation, helping you save on your energy bill. Bonus: fiber optic décor is also shock-resistant and cool to the touch.
Use a Timer
Amid all the fun and celebrations, it’s easy to forget to unplug your holiday lights, which could end up wasting significant electricity. Fortunately, you can automate your home and install timers to automatically turn lights on and off. We recommend setting timers for less than six hours, turning lights on at dusk, and shutting them off before you head to bed.
Take Advantage of Reflective Décor
With the right surroundings, a little bit of light can shine a long way. Tinsel, reflective ornaments, silver bells, and other shiny decorations increase the holiday glow without using extra electricity, making these options the most energy-efficient holiday lights. Decorate staircases, shelves, and other areas of your home with reflective garland to get that festive feeling while conserving energy.
Let the Holiday Lights Take Center Stage
Plugging in bright holiday lights and turning on normal indoor lighting washes out the colors of festive lighting and is a waste of energy. Whenever possible, keep either the indoor lights or the holiday lights on to save energy during the holidays. Letting the tree light the room can really set the holiday mood!
Add Candles to Your Décor
The holidays are the perfect time to light up your gingerbread or peppermint candles. Bring the joy of the holidays into your home—and energy efficiency too.
Hosting
The holidays are the best time to invite your loved ones over for gift giving and delicious food. But the extra bodies in the house, plus all that cooking, can lead to increased energy consumption. Look for these ways to save energy during the holidays when hosting.
Turn Down the Heat
If you’re hosting a holiday party, turn down the thermostat before your guests arrive. The extra body heat will keep things warm and turning down the heat can ensure no one gets overheated and helps you save energy during the holidays.
Encourage Winter Wear
Wearing sweaters and cozy socks around the house can keep you from blasting the heat to stay warm. For holiday parties, ask your guests to wear their favorite warm and festive attire and take the opportunity to turn down the heat a little more.
Keep Lids on Cooking Pots
Cooking a big meal for your next holiday get-together? Keep the lids on your pots. Your food will cook faster and use less energy to cook.
Use Small Kitchen Appliances
Anytime you can use a microwave or toaster oven instead of the stove or conventional oven, you save energy. Quickly reheat dishes for your next holiday party and reduce your energy usage by 50% or more.
Shop Energy-Smart
You may be a savvy holiday shopper, but are you an eco-friendly shopper too? Limit your shopping trips to reduce your carbon footprint, shop online when you can, and consider carpooling with friends or family who are headed out to shop for gifts.
Traveling
Even when you’re away from home for the holidays, your house is consuming energy. Learn how to save energy during the holidays with these and other energy-saving travel tips.
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat allows you to set your heating system on a schedule based on when you’re home or away. You can enjoy significant energy savings by turning down the heat when no one is home.
Find & Seal Air Leaks
Heat loss is one of the biggest energy wasters during the wintertime. Be sure to check your home for gaps where air may be leaking out and seal these spots.
Unplug “Energy Grinches”
Some electronics and appliances use energy even when they’re turned off. Before you leave for your holiday vacation, unplug items like your TV and gaming consoles to avoid unnecessary energy waste. Even better, plug all offending “energy vampires” into power strips so you can cut electricity to all with the flip of a switch.
Take your holiday energy savings to the next level by following these tips and partnering with Gexa to save energy all year round. Learn more about Gexa Energy and their 100% renewable plans from environmentally friendly renewable sources.
