For the first time ever, people in BC put more effort into their Halloween displays this year than Christmas.
That’s from a survey done for BC Hydro, which found half of people in the province decorated for Halloween and 13% of them created a mega-display. In contrast, more than half plan to decorate for Christmas, but only 10% are planning on going big.
A mega-display counts as 10 or more strings of lights, and at least one plug-in inflatable decoration.
Susie Rieder with BC Hydro says elaborate holiday displays account for about 3% of provincial electricity load during the winter holiday season.
BC Hydro says people can save energy and money by swapping out older strings of incandescent lights for LEDs.
Energy-saving decorating tips
Switching to LED lighting: Save about $40 over the holiday season by switching eight strands of incandescent lights to energy efficient LEDs. LED holiday lights also last ten times longer and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours.
Using timers: Reduce electricity costs by only having lights on when needed.
Reconsidering inflatable decorations: These decorations are simple to install—with limited set up and no ladders or tools required, which makes them an easy addition to a holiday display. The electricity used by these can vary from around 52 watts for a smaller 4-foot one, to around 85 watts for a 12-foot inflatable, and they are typically run 24 hours a day—adding up to $50 each to British Columbians’ electricity costs over the holidays.
