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Original poster

Energy crisis.. Christmas lights

44 replies

Userno4647388473 · 04/09/2022 19:52

I had a random thought earlier, I realised that many people will not be able to afford to use many Christmas lights, if any. Will councils here decorating towns??

I know keeping warm and eating etc must take most importance over anything right now and in the upcoming weeks & months but what a bleak bloody Christmas it will be if there's a lack of Christmas lights. Will towns and villages be decorating still?? Will people be decorating their homes with as many lights?

as a family we don't go to many Christmas events like grottos, breakfast with Santa etc etc. my two children are autistic and their favourite thing to do is walk or drive around to look at all the lights!

Obviously decorations don't have to include lights, but the cosiness of Christmas lights is my favourite part of the whole season. Driving around looking at lights as well as our own. I don't give a damn about the food (well maybe the chocolate) or the presents.

I have had two pretty crappy Christmas seasons in a row due to illness, covid and grieving amongst other things in the last couple years. I was so looking forward to it all this year...

apologies if this sounds a little selfish of me if it sounds like I'm just thinking about Christmas when people including ourselves will struggle to heat our homes.. but it just the next few months will be so bleak and gloomy in many ways already 😓

OP posts:
Fallonangel · 04/09/2022 20:00

Yep Christmas lights are not really high up on my worrying radar...

Crinkle77 · 04/09/2022 20:02

No me neither but then I am a bah humbug kinda person where Christmas is concerned.

MichaelAndEagle · 04/09/2022 20:05

I did wonder if there will be fewer people putting up outside lights. I suspect so. Its often a thing people do for a nice free Christmas activity, to go look at people's lights. It will be a shame.

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Christmas Events & celebrations
Summertimesadnesss · 04/09/2022 20:05

I’m delighted people will stop wasting energy on them (always feel it’s such a waste of energy regardless of the cost)

solar ones are available and just as good so people can still have them just in a sustainable way

Summertimesadnesss · 04/09/2022 20:06

Well as sustainable as plastic Christmas tat can be 😂

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 04/09/2022 20:06

LEDs are super cheap..

CoffeeHungry · 04/09/2022 20:06

We have a Christmas fire engine covered in Christmas lights, blares out Christmas music and has santa& his elves leading it, that does its rounds around all the local area residential roads, it's charity run, I hope it still goes on as its a childhood memory for me that I would love my children to have as a childhood memory too!

Rollercoaster1920 · 04/09/2022 20:07

I suspect there will be fewer lights this year, especially council operated ones. But led lights don't consume a lot of electricity. We'll still have ours, but we don't have much, one tree and 2 strings in the front hedge.

MikeWozniaksMohawk · 04/09/2022 20:07

LED lights will cost around £1-£2 to run for a month

Hugasauras · 04/09/2022 20:08

LED lights are super cheap to run, so we will still do our usual. Councils might reevaluate.

makingmiracles · 04/09/2022 20:08

I don’t know, xmas lights are generally small led,s which don’t cost very much in electric anyway as far as I’m aware, those who have the money to buy Xmas lights prob wont worry too much about the cost.

it will be interesting what councils etc do as presumably their costs are significant in terms of paying people to erect them and take them down at the end of the season and with the running costs.

lljkk · 04/09/2022 20:11

I dare say the fun fair events (little rides, blaring music, tannoy, hot food provision, church etc. all opened up) of turning on the lights use a huge amount more lekki than the lights for 6 weeks do.

RayneDance · 04/09/2022 20:11

Mine are led and I'm definitely having mine up

Papyrus · 04/09/2022 20:14

Quite a few small town councils have already cancelled them. Can see the bigger towns and cities following or at least massively scaling back.

MrsWombat · 04/09/2022 20:18

We'll attempt our usual as they are LED and don't cost much, but if actually they decide to do the rebate scheme for not using energy during peak time, they won't be switched on then.

Haybo26 · 04/09/2022 20:20

We will be putting ours up. I suspect the houses that cover their homes with lights outside for charity may have second thoughts this year.

FourTeaFallOut · 04/09/2022 20:22

For less than the cost of a box of mince pies, we'll be putting our led lights up, op.

Original poster
Userno4647388473 · 04/09/2022 20:25

I plan to have tree lights. I was more so talking about outdoor lights etc! It doesn't seem important in comparison to everything else happening BUT it does make me feel like things are going ti be very bleak in more ways than one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Userno4647388473 · 04/09/2022 20:26

CoffeeHungry · 04/09/2022 20:06

We have a Christmas fire engine covered in Christmas lights, blares out Christmas music and has santa& his elves leading it, that does its rounds around all the local area residential roads, it's charity run, I hope it still goes on as its a childhood memory for me that I would love my children to have as a childhood memory too!

Our village did similar for the first ever time last year. Kids loved it go past as we had covid anyway and isolating!! They were mesmerised!

OP posts:
AngelinaFibres · 04/09/2022 20:29

Summertimesadnesss · 04/09/2022 20:05

I’m delighted people will stop wasting energy on them (always feel it’s such a waste of energy regardless of the cost)

solar ones are available and just as good so people can still have them just in a sustainable way

Solar ones don't work in the winter. There isn't enough sunlight to charge them. We tried some last year. On a bright day they came on in a pathetic way for about 20 minutes.

Suzi888 · 04/09/2022 20:31

Ugh I’ve posted on the wrong thread. But I was thinking you could purchase solar lights- a string or individual lamps. Charge outside then bring inside. Bit of a pita for the tree …. Possibly but an option for providing a bit of light for the hall or landing. Fun for kids as a nightlight 🤷🏼‍♀️

Suzi888 · 04/09/2022 20:32

@AngelinaFibres mine come on until the early hours. Not right at the bottom of my garden but everywhere else has been fine.

BakewellGin1 · 04/09/2022 20:33

My indoor tree lights are LED so definately will be on... In fact it may save money as in December we tend to have tree lights, battery operated string of lights and the TV on rather then actual lights on

LimboLass · 04/09/2022 20:40

LED lights use minimal energy. The real energy users are things that heat.

Original poster
Userno4647388473 · 04/09/2022 20:45

Thanks all. I was more so talking about outdoor lights. I have led lights for my tree. We built a small collection of outdoor lights over the e last few years but will probably stick to indoor stuff this year!

most people on our street decorate outside including us who have a few. The thought of the whole street not being lit is pretty depressing but of course I understand fully, it's just gloomy. I have been obsessed with Christmas lights forever 😅

OP posts: