No Christmas lights

[WildFlowerBees]

A friend told me today she's read that some councils won't be putting up Christmas lights this year due to the cost of energy. Completely understand but will be a bit sad to not have the lovely twinkly lights.

Made me wonder how many homes will do the same.

We don’t do Christmas in anyway shape or form at home. But we love seeing the council erected lights. I think they bring a little cheer into most peoples day. However, if it means that the councils cannot support the homeless or provide warm places or other similar measures, then sadly, I think the lights should be stopped, lights may warm the heart, but not the body.

Yes it’s a sad choice to make as I’m sure it does lift the spirit for many. But as you said, it might warm the soul but it doesn’t warm the body!

I'm getting battery operated ones. Easier to keep track of the cost.

I have never done external lights, mainly because I'm just too lazy to sort it out.

I did wonder how much my indoor lights will cost. I have two trees and a string of lights that go round the living room. They're new LED ones, bought last year so hopefully not too much as I love having them on as much as possible in december.

😂

Definitely having ours on. TONS of them all over the house and garden/bushes/trees etc. They will just be on 4 hours (4.40 til 8.30pm) instead of 6 hours 4 to 10pm.

Do you think the money they save will mean a reduced council tax bill... I somehow do not.

Of course not, and money off council tax bills wouldn’t be the best way to help, anyway.

However if the money were specifically diverted, in full, to a scheme/scheme(s) to help those most in need over the coldest months of winter (especially children) then that’s worth doing IMO.

I was thinking…..
You could purchase solar lamps/ lights. Leave them out in the day to charge- only the panel needs to see daylight. Bring them in at night and voila- cheap lighting. Ok a pita for the tree- perhaps but larger decorative lamps around the house /landing/hall. Saves on batteries for the fake candles etc you can get that I am obsessed with I love tat 😳

I'm hoping some local businesses or shops might sponser the lights , yes it will cost but they are desperate to get people into the high street and spending .
Probably won't happen though as they're looking at their fuel bills rocketing

There won't be fireworks on NYE in London, that is £££

And maybe ......it'll reduce the number of fireworks that usually stretch over 10-14 days for Guy Fawkes and Diwali .
Couple of nights of it fine , I'm not Bah Humbug over Nov 5th but it does go on too long

We usually hang 2000 warm white icicle lights across the guttering of our house. It looks beautiful.

This year we’re giving it a miss. It cost around £150 to have them lit whenever it was dark for 6 weeks. It’s not worth paying 3 or 4 times that.

Mine will still go up, but not on for as long.

I've checked our gable lights today. I will be using them this year. It might cost me £5 in power but if it helps cheer the neighbours up, it's worth it.

I’m on the lookout for solar Xmas lights.

LED L light don’t cost that much to run, I thing all mine are now LED have to replacing them over the last few years

You’re a lovely neighbour x

Just to add for various reasons I don’t get out a lot but when I look out my window & see the odd house in the distance with their lights twinkling it fills me with joy, I look forward to it, there is something comforting about it, on a dark cold night in winter, even seeing a small single light makes me grateful of my neighbours & the effort they have made. I live high up but in an area that is multi cultural so we do not get so many Christmas lights here but the ones that do appear are most welcome, I always join in with my modest little lights, mostly battery operated & LED so should be low running costs.

It probably pisses the neighbours off
They certainly do annoy me as we sleep at the front of the house and have the neighbours twinkly lights long after the street lights have gone off

Energy bills are going to be frightening this winter. Many people will not be able to switch on the lights in their living rooms, let alone fairy lights outside. I’m surprised people have not really grasped the scale of the problem. There’s very little discussion of it on MumsNet. Bills will be up 80per cent in October with another jump to come in January. If you’re on a fixed deal you’re laughing for now but I am not allowed to change and even if I could get a fix it would be enormous.

I was talking to my
10 year old
About this just last night .. there's a walk we do with the dogs in the evening on a nearby estate and the lights are just so pretty they aren't huge shows or displays just pretty lights and lit up reindeer , santas etc and I said I don't think there will be that many able to do that this year ... I certainly won't be able to either r

Led Christmas lights literally cost pennies to run!

I've got epilepsy so I won't miss them.

You can get lights powered by batteries, mine last ages.

I have to admit I don't see how this makes sense. LED lights are really low energy and cheap to run. I read that one string of lights run 6 hours a day for 30 days costs 50p. How on Earth is it cheaper to go out and buy new solar lights than run the LED lights you have?

There have been multiple threads daily and MN have even renamed a board!

I ran my LED twinkly lights from a power bank last year and was astonished how little energy was used so mine will be back on this year.