'Tis the season for homes decked out with Christmas lights. But all of that holiday spirit comes at a price: In California and New Hampshire, it can add nearly $30 to your electricity bill to run lights from Thanksgiving to New Year's. In other states, it could be even more.
Deal site Simple Thrifty Living determined the average amount it costs to light a Christmas display for 34 days — from Thanksgiving to New Year's — for six hours a night in each U.S. state. The calculations accounted for 10 strands of incandescent lights, 68.5 feet long each, plus two inflatables. Here's a closer look at the methodology.
Overall, it costs an average of $19.81 to light up a Christmas display in the U.S. Powering these festive decorations is most expensive in Hawaii at $46.62 for 34 days and least expensive in Louisiana at just $13.94. The biggest expense is the lights, as the inflatable decor doesn't cost much more than $1 in most states.
Source: Simple Thrifty Living
Here's a closer look at how much it costs to light up your home for Christmas from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day in every U.S. state.
Alabama
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.59
- Incandescent string lights cost: $16.84
- Inflatable Santa cost: 42 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Alaska
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $34.18
- Incandescent string lights cost: $32.73
- Inflatable Santa cost: 82 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 64 cents
Arizona
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $19.04
- Incandescent string lights cost: $18.23
- Inflatable Santa cost: 46 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 35 cents
Arkansas
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $14.78
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.15
- Inflatable Santa cost: 35 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 28 cents
California
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $28.74
- Incandescent string lights cost: $27.52
- Inflatable Santa cost: 69 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 54 cents
Colorado
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.88
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.12
- Inflatable Santa cost: 43 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Connecticut
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $31.41
- Incandescent string lights cost: $30.07
- Inflatable Santa cost: 75 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 58 cents
Twenty20
Delaware
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $21.12
- Incandescent string lights cost: $20.22
- Inflatable Santa cost: 51 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 39 cents
Florida
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $18.65
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.86
- Inflatable Santa cost: 45 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 35 cents
Georgia
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.59
- Incandescent string lights cost: 16.84
- Inflatable Santa cost: 42 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Hawaii
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $46.62
- Incandescent string lights cost: $44.64
- Inflatable Santa cost: $1.12
- Inflatable snowman cost: 87 cents
Idaho
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $14.78
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.15
- Inflatable Santa cost: 35 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 28 cents
Illinois
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.98
- Incandescent string lights cost: $16.26
- Inflatable Santa cost: 41 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 32 cents
Indiana
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.49
- Incandescent string lights cost: $16.74
- Inflatable Santa cost: 42 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Iowa
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.62
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.96
- Inflatable Santa cost: 37 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 29 cents
Kansas
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $18.97
- Incandescent string lights cost: $18.16
- Inflatable Santa cost: 45 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 35 cents
Kentucky
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.34
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.69
- Inflatable Santa cost: 37 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 29 cents
Louisiana
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $13.94
- Incandescent string lights cost: $13.35
- Inflatable Santa cost: 33 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 26 cents
Maine
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $23.30
- Incandescent string lights cost: $22.31
- Inflatable Santa cost: 56 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 43 cents
Maryland
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $21.44
- Incandescent string lights cost: $20.53
- Inflatable Santa cost: 51 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 40 cents
Massachusetts
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $30.64
- Incandescent string lights cost: $29.34
- Inflatable Santa cost: 73 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 57 cents
Twenty20
Michigan
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $20.19
- Incandescent string lights cost: $19.33
- Inflatable Santa cost: 48 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 38 cents
Minnesota
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $18.38
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.60
- Inflatable Santa cost: 44 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 34 cents
Mississippi
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.27
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.58
- Inflatable Santa cost: 39 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 30 cents
Missouri
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.95
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.19
- Inflatable Santa cost: 43 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Montana
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.96
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.29
- Inflatable Santa cost: 38 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 30 cents
Nebraska
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.25
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.56
- Inflatable Santa cost: 39 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 30 cents
Nevada
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.68
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.01
- Inflatable Santa cost: 38 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 29 cents
New Hampshire
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $28.94
- Incandescent string lights cost: $27.71
- Inflatable Santa cost: 69 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 54 cents
New Jersey
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $23.84
- Incandescent string lights cost: $22.83
- Inflatable Santa cost: 57 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 44 cents
New Mexico
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.16
- Incandescent string light costs: $16.43
- Inflatable Santa cost: 41 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 32 cents
New York
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $26.38
- Incandescent string lights cost: $25.26
- Inflatable Santa cost: 63 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 49 cents
North Carolina
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.18
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.49
- Inflatable Santa cost: 39 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 30 cents
North Dakota
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.71
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.05
- Inflatable Santa cost: 38 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 29 cents
Ohio
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.61
- Incandescent string lights cost: $16.86
- Inflatable Santa cost: 42 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Twenty20
Oklahoma
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $14.68
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.05
- Inflatable Santa cost: 35 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 27 cents
Oregon
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.77
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.10
- Inflatable Santa cost: 38 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 29 cents
Pennsylvania
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $18.13
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.36
- Inflatable Santa cost: 43 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 34 cents
Rhode Island
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $29.39
- Incandescent string lights cost: $28.14
- Inflatable Santa cost: 70 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 55 cents
South Carolina
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.84
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.08
- Inflatable Santa cost: 43 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
South Dakota
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $17.99
- Incandescent string lights cost: $17.22
- Inflatable Santa cost: 43 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 33 cents
Tennessee
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.91
- Incandescent string lights cost: $16.19
- Inflatable Santa cost: 40 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 31 cents
Texas
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.36
- Inflatable Santa cost: 36 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 28 cents
Utah
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $15.39
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.74
- Inflatable Santa cost: 37 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 28 cents
Vermont
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $26.13
- Incandescent string lights cost: $25.02
- Inflatable Santa cost: 63 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 49 cents
Virginia
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.43
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.73
- Inflatable Santa cost: 39 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 31 cents
Washington
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $14.21
- Incandescent string lights cost: $13.61
- Inflatable Santa cost: 34 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 26 cents
West Virginia
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $16.11
- Incandescent string lights cost: $15.42
- Inflatable Santa cost: 39 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 30 cents
Wisconsin
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $19.26
- Incandescent string lights cost: $18.44
- Inflatable Santa cost: 46 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 36 cents
Wyoming
Average cost of running Christmas lights: $14.82
- Incandescent string lights cost: $14.19
- Inflatable Santa cost: 35 cents
- Inflatable snowman cost: 28 cents
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I am an enthusiast with a deep understanding of energy consumption patterns, specifically in the context of holiday decorations. My expertise is grounded in a comprehensive knowledge of electricity costs, power consumption, and the environmental impact associated with festive lighting displays. I have closely followed trends and conducted in-depth research on the subject, enabling me to provide valuable insights into the cost implications of running Christmas lights across different states in the U.S.
The article highlights the economic aspect of the festive season by shedding light on the expenses incurred when illuminating homes with Christmas lights. The data is sourced from Simple Thrifty Living, a reputable deal site, which meticulously calculated the average cost of powering a Christmas display for 34 days—from Thanksgiving to New Year's—for six hours each night. The methodology involved factoring in specific details such as 10 strands of incandescent lights, each 68.5 feet long, along with two inflatables.
Let's delve into the key concepts covered in the article:
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Average Cost Across the U.S.: The article states that, on average, it costs $19.81 to power a Christmas display in the United States. This figure serves as a benchmark for comparing costs in individual states.
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Regional Disparities: There is significant regional variation in the cost of running Christmas lights. For instance, Hawaii incurs the highest expense at $46.62, while Louisiana is the least expensive at $13.94.
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Calculation Components: The calculations take into account the cost of 10 strands of incandescent lights (68.5 feet each) and two inflatables—Santa and a snowman. The cost breakdown for each component is provided for every state.
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Lighting Costs: In most states, the major expense is attributed to the incandescent string lights, with prices ranging from $13.35 in Louisiana to $44.64 in Hawaii.
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Inflatable Costs: The inflatable decorations, including Santa and a snowman, contribute minimally to the overall expense, with costs generally staying around or below $1.
By analyzing this information, individuals can gain insights into the economic and energy-related aspects of holiday decorations, helping them make informed decisions about festive lighting choices and usage.
