Why do Brits live in darkness except for December?

[Swedegirl48]

I am Swedish and at home if you walk down a street, most houses will have lamps in some of the windows, outside lights and usually people don’t draw curtains so you can see the lights from within the houses. I was asking British DH today why Brits tend to light up their houses so enthusiastically in December, but the rest of the year people draw their curtains and no one seems to put lamps in the windows (at least not where we live which is London). I am the only person in my street who has a lamp in every window of my house and leave some on overnight too. I think I am trying to overcompensate for my very dark street.

Here’s a thought OP, if your street is shrouded in darkness and your house is the only one lit up like a fucking airport - have you considered the possibility that the rest of the street LIKE the darkness? Why are you forcing your choice on everyone else? You seem to be under the impression that you’re doing the rest of your street a favour - you’re not! Your neighbours are probably cursing you for ruining the darkness.
Light up the inside of your house all you want but don’t force it on everyone else! It’s a wonder your stupid lamps havnt been smashed by disgruntled neighbours. There’s a baby next door ffs

I do pay the electricity bill ☺️

Do you speak in the same weird way that you write

I noticed this is Sweden when I was there. It was actually quite nice to see at night.

Well that's the opposite of what they're getting at, because what they said is that Brits usually have the ceiling light on except when we're watching tv, when we sit in the dark.

Adequate lighting is one of the gifts of modern life, and I bloody appreciate having the big light on as well as a reading lamp so I'm not squinting at the page as I read.

Blimey 😦 If a lamp in a window is that triggering I think there might be other things going on with you.

OP is Swedish. Why would she leave paying the bills to her husband. How odd.

Yes please start a lamp thread, I’d be very keen on how to keep my home cosy and well lit (without feeling too Christmassy) during the upcoming miserable months xx

Your username suits you quite well.

In London most houses will be Victorian or Edwardian, and many will have older windows. Curtains need to be closed to keep the heat in.

Sometimes when the days are shortest (or December) people forget to draw the front curtains until it has been dark for a while, because it is dark at 4pm.

Lamps in windows? As like decorative (so not lighting the interior)?
I don't have curtains but do have shutters. I really don't want those walking by peering in at me, even if all I'm doing is sitting in the sofa watching TV, though I admit I like looking in at other's houses!
Be assured that inside it's light...

And to add- houses better insulated in Europe IME so less need to get those curtains closed when it goes dark.

No it pisses me off! We’ve barely had a winter and soon it will be light until 10pm again and it’s depressing. Let us enjoy the small time frame of darkness while we can ffs

A public spaces is SHARED. No one is robbing you of anything by having lights on their own home which you may have to walk past.
No one has the right to pitch black darkness. Not even in the middle of nowhere because the moon will dictate to you how much darkness you get lmao!
You act like you might next say if people glance at you whilst out and about then they are 'stealing your privacy!'
In a public space.. expect the public.. which includes light and noise. There's a level beyond which it's a nuisance.. beyond which you could call the police. But there will always be some light and some noise because other human beings exist. And if they want to light up their own home (as long as it's not absolutely ridiculous) that's up to them.
I think it's like walking down the street at night and people are chatting at a normal volume.. no one owes you complete silence because it's nighttime!! No one owes you complete darkness!
Not least of all because some people work shifts and will have their lights on because they are awake..

And last of all wtf you doing roaming the streets in pitch darkness judging people for having lamps in their windows? Why is you being in the dark on the street any more necessary than them having their lights on??

It’s just a cultural difference, not a moral or financial one. A bright LED lightbulb left on 24/7 costs about £4 a year to run. Brits will never invite strangers to look into their homes!

Well as you state you don't care about the environment but I do. Outside lights have been shown to ruin bats feeding and breeding cycles. I've stopped with outside lights.

I love the darkness, generally, but do employ copious amounts of fairly lights, cute Japanese nightlights and some very interesting, vintage lamps about the place.
I don't like windows that let in too much light, just enough to sit by and dream, or read some gloomy poetry

Street lamps have become dimmer, and I do think that in certain areas this is dangerous.

I am not the average Brit, probably. I love the gloomy stillness of the Lake District and old stone. I could happily live in a (centrally heated) cave..

I have a baby.. i have 3 kids. I love it when people have lights.
The street opposite is festooned with fairylights until April. All the residents go in together and they get fairylights that zig zag across the street.
It does not affect my kids sleep in the slightest.

this isn’t about your kids though. It’s not about anyone’s kids. It’s about the right to experience the darkness of the night for those of us that want to.

I always have lamps on inside, but I want my home to be private. We put Christmas lights around our windows but still draw the blinds and curtains so people can’t see in but can still enjoy the lights.
The rest of the time I have no desire to illuminate my home for the benefit of anyone that’s not in it.

Yeah women always love walking about alone in pitch dark. Well known fact. 👀

And you ask this question?

Well I do and that’s my right

The responses and vitriol on this post have been disgusting. Keyboard warriors. Stand TF down. Sheesh.

lol