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Original poster

Leaving Christmas tree lights on

54 replies

Hahaha88 · 17/12/2019 16:48

Does anyone leave the Christmas tree lights on? I've always turned them off if I'm popping out and again at bedtime. But I visited a friend who had gone out for a couple of hours and left them on and if made me wonder if I'm over thinking things making sure they are off whenever I'm not in

I like to have them on when we get up Xmas morning and I've been known to run down first thing and switch them on before everyone else comes down, but now I'm wondering if I could just leave them on? Has there actually been fires from modern Xmas lights being left on??

Yabu don't leave them on

Yanbu go ahead leave them on

OP posts:
Frenchw1fe · 17/12/2019 16:50

I never leave mine on at night or if we're out. Just not worth the risk imo.

TheresWaldo · 17/12/2019 16:51

I always turn mine off at night just in case.

Marmite27 · 17/12/2019 16:52

We have the lights plugged into a hive plug so just tell Alexa to turn on the Christmas lights or do it on my phone. The ones in the window are usb/battery operated

Thestrangestthing · 17/12/2019 16:52

A child in our extended family died because of tree lights going on fire. I never leave them on.

Gatehouse77 · 17/12/2019 16:52

We only turn ours off at night. I love coming home and seeing it lit during the day.
I also like being first down on the morning to turn them on too.

pasturesgreen · 17/12/2019 16:52

Always switch your Christmas tree lights off before going to bed

www.london-fire.gov.uk/news/2019-news/november/have-yourself-a-fire-free-merry-christmas/

I'll just leave this here.

BlueEyedFloozy · 17/12/2019 16:53

Never leave them on.

Christmas trees are highly flammable (especially plastic ones) and notoriously difficult to control/extinguish flames of they catch.

It takes 2 seconds to switch on and off so definitely not worth the worry or risk.

I should add that I am very careful when it comes to electricity and switch everything except the fridge off of we're in bed or out.

MineralSpinner · 17/12/2019 16:53

I've known a couple of firemen over the years. NEVER leave Christmas lights on while you are in bed or out.

adaline · 17/12/2019 16:53

No, I always turn mine off. Not worth the risk of a fire.

Bluebelltulip · 17/12/2019 16:54

Only on if we can see them, waste of energy otherwise.

Original poster
Hahaha88 · 17/12/2019 16:55

@Thestrangestthing I'm sorry to hear that.

Thanks guys I'll stick with how I've always done it and switch them on first thing before others come down.

OP posts:
PintOfBovril · 17/12/2019 16:56

Our friends' flat burned down from a Christmas tree fire.

MaggieFS · 17/12/2019 16:58

Definitely switch them off. Buy a remote control plug (don't need an Alexa/hive anything like that) and provided you take the remote to bed with you, switch them on in the morning without getting up Smile

Whattodoabout · 17/12/2019 17:00

Always switch them off when I go to bed or go out.

theconstantinoplegardener · 17/12/2019 17:01

As well as the risk of fire, it seems a bit wasteful to leave Christmas lights burning for hours when you're out/in bed. I know LED lights are much more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lights, but if you switch them off when you're not around, then you're saving even more energy, which is good for the planet! And your lights will probably last longer if they're not on all the time, so you will be consuming fewer resources than if you are replacing them more frequently - win again!

sexandthecityagain · 17/12/2019 17:02

Always turn them off by the mains, only a switch to flick.

OneForMeToo · 17/12/2019 17:04

I thought it was only the old style lights that where an issue not new led ones? Mine are all plugged in via smart plugs anyway so I just shout at Alexa to turn them off/on.

Yetanotherwinter · 17/12/2019 17:16

Never ever leave them on. I’m sure your friend will wish she had turned them off if they start a fire. It’s basic safety sense.

BentNeckLady · 17/12/2019 17:17

I’d leave led lights on no worries but traditional filament bulbs should always be switched off.

RightOnTheEdge · 17/12/2019 17:19

It's so tempting to leave them on and come home to them looking all pretty and cosy but it's not worth the risk.

dementedpixie · 17/12/2019 17:20

Mine get switched off overnight and arent on during that day as you don't see them properly in the daytime. The exception to that is Christmas day when the lights do get put on all day

dementedpixie · 17/12/2019 17:21

P.s. I mean they go on in the evening when it's dark outside and then switched off when we go to bed

ActualHornist · 17/12/2019 17:24

Never leave ours on.

It was a habit anyway, but a few years ago I was out of the room getting decorations out of the cupboard and DSS had already started putting the lights on the tree. He called me in as they had started to smoke!

So yeah, not worth the risk (which is a shame because I do love coming home to them on!)

halcyondays · 17/12/2019 17:24

I think the newer lights are less likely to start a fire but I always switch them off before bed or when going out.

PrittSticky · 17/12/2019 17:25

I would turn them off if I had a real Christmas tree, but with my fake one (made of a specifically non-flammable plastic) I'm not worried.