Do Christmas Lights Take a Lot of Electricity?

November 2, 2026: Added a new section on which outdoor LED Christmas lights use the least electricity, with rated watts, watts per 100 LEDs, and season-long energy use and cost for each light.

With the festive season upon us, you can enjoy the light without being shocked by the bill. A few simple calculations will enable you to light up your home in a very festive way without significantly affecting your energy meter.

How Much Electricity Do Christmas Lights Use?

The amount of electricity that your Christmas lighting will consume is determined mainly by the type of bulbs used and the overall size. An old-fashioned incandescent mini-light string consumes much more energy than a contemporary LED string of the same length. The total wattage of all your lights, combined with your daily usage time, determines the impact on your energy bill.

The cost can be calculated using a simple formula: (Total Wattage ÷ 1000) x Hours of Use x Your Electricity Rate ($/kWh). For instance, 400 watts of lights switched on for 6 hours at the national average of $0.14 per kWh would cost approximately $0.56 per night. 

Read more: Do LED Lights Use a Lot of Electricity? Real Cost Breakdown

Common Christmas Lights Wattage: Incandescent vs LED

Incandescent Christmas lights, which have been around for quite some time, heat the filament within the bulb to produce light, resulting in the waste of about 90% of the energy consumed as heat. A standard string of 100 incandescent mini-bulbs uses approximately 40-50 watts of power. Even within the incandescent category, the larger C7 and C9 bulbs are more power-hungry, with a string of 25 consuming between 125 and 250 watts, making them the most expensive option for prolonged use.

On the other hand, LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights are the most energy-efficient of all the lighting options available. They produce light by passing current through a semiconductor, using up to 90% less energy and generating hardly any heat. A 100-light LED string typically uses just 4 to 8 watts. This massive reduction in wattage means you can run many more LED Christmas strings for the same energy cost as a single incandescent set, all while benefiting from a much longer lifespan.

Real-world Electricity Cost for Christmas Lights Examples

Theoretical aspects will be practically applied, and the seasonal cost for three typical holiday lighting scenarios will be calculated using the average electricity cost of the U.S., which is $0.14 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Scenario A: Small Indoor Tree (200 LED Bulbs)

A warm and inviting indoor tree might require the use of two 100-bulb LED light strings. These lights have a combined wattage of approximately 10 watts; therefore, the running of the lights for 5 hours every night in December would still result in very little energy consumption.

This will consume only 1.5 kWh of electricity over the entire 30-day period. Consequently, at the rate of $0.14 per kWh, the total festive centrepiece cost for the season is just $0.21. The price is so low that it can sometimes be considered non-existent, thus proving the statement that LED holiday cheer is very low-priced, as said.

Scenario B: Outdoor House Outline (Incandescent C9 Bulbs)

The use of beautiful, large incandescent bulbs for the roof and window outlines gives the house a classic look, but the energy demand to maintain it is higher. The ten strings, each containing 25 bulbs, with each bulb requiring 125 watts of power, yield a total of 1,250 watts.

If the decorations are to be lit for six hours at night during the 40 days, then that would be a total consumption of 300 kWh. This can then be approximated as $42.00 seasonal cost. This case clearly illustrates that conventional lighting can significantly increase the winter electricity bill.

Scenario C: Whole-Yard Display with Animated LEDs

A colorful, animated outdoor display featuring LED projectors, icicle lights, and figures can still be fairly energy-efficient. A large setup might have an overall wattage of about 400 watts due to the use of LED technology.

If the power is switched on for 5 hours a night for 45 consecutive days, it will consume 90 kWh of electricity. The total electric operating cost is approximately $12.60. This situation suggests that, regardless of how impressive or attention-catching a display is, it can still be affordable if powered by LEDs.

Tips to Reduce Christmas Lights' Power Usage

By adopting smart habits, one can bring out the full beauty of the holidays while also saving on energy bills.

• The first and most important adjustment to make is to switch completely to LED lights. LED lights consume a minimal amount of power and can be used for many seasons.
• It is always a good idea to use a timer to regulate your display automatically; it can be set to turn on at night and off at a reasonable hour, preventing the lights from burning all night unnecessarily.
• Consider investing in a smart plug that allows you to schedule lighting from your phone and even turn it off remotely if you forget. Your money will be saved in this way, and your display will be even, and you won't have the daytime mistake of having it accidentally switched on.
• It is advisable to be deliberate about how you light up the house. Illuminate only the important parts, such as the roof line, main tree, or path, and avoid lighting up all the shrubs.
• For the garden, solar lights can be used that work day and night; they get charged during the daytime and turn on at night for free.
  
• Additionally, LED lights are available with fewer bulbs or bulbs that are spaced farther apart. These LED lights will give you the same appearance but use less power.
• Grouping lights on a single, good-quality power strip makes it easier to control and turn off different sets at once, thus simplifying your routine.

Which Outdoor LED Christmas Lights Use the Least Electricity

Among Govee’s outdoor LED Christmas lights listed in the table below, low-wattage LED light strings and net lights use the least electricity over the holiday season when paired with nightly timers, because consumption depends on rated power (the wattage listed by the maker) multiplied by how many hours the lights are on. For a classic big-bulb roofline, Govee C9 Christmas String Lights come in 49ft and 98ft (two combined 49ft strings), both rated at 18W, with 0.37W and 0.18W per foot, respectively. Compare wattage and operating hours, not bulb count alone, using the table below.

The table below compares the power consumption of six Govee outdoor LED Christmas light options over a 40-night holiday season at 6 hours per night. It includes watts per 100 LEDs where bulb counts are available, along with seasonal energy use and costs calculated using the July 2026 U.S. average residential electricity rate of 18.31 cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour, the unit on your electric bill).

A starter display with one 49ft C9 string, two 1.8–3ft Govee Sphere Net Lights (15W each), and one Cone Tree is rated at 63 W combined, or 15.12 kWh and $2.77 for the whole 40-night season at 6 hours a night.

See more low-wattage options in Govee Christmas lights.

Season use is calculated from each product's rated power, not measured; actual use depends on brightness, effects, and hours. Prices are from Govee's U.S. product pages, November 2.

How to Compare Watts per 100 LEDs and Season Costs Before You Buy

✔️ Compare watts per 100 LEDs. To compare the energy efficiency of different LED Christmas lights, divide each light's total rated wattage by its bulb count, then multiply by 100. For example, the 6.1ft Cone Tree has 316 LEDs and a 15W rating, giving 4.75W per 100 LEDs. The 49ft C9 has 50 larger bulbs and an 18W rating, giving 36W per 100. That doesn't make C9 unsuitable; its larger bulbs create a distinct roofline look.

✔️ Calculate the entire season's cost. To do so, multiply watts by hours per night and nights of use, then divide by 1,000 to get kWh. Multiply that figure by your local electricity rate for a personalized estimate.

✔️ Pay attention to operating hours. Running an 18W C9 string for 12 hours nightly instead of six doubles seasonal consumption from 4.32 to 8.64 kWh, increasing the estimated cost from $0.79 to $1.58. Timers and photocells can limit unnecessary operating hours. The Govee Smart Plug Pro with Energy Monitoring also allows scheduled operation and monitors actual electricity consumption from connected equipment, but you must install it indoors or in a sheltered location where it will not be exposed to rain, with the lighting cable extending from the outlet.

✔️ Count every string. Multiply one string's seasonal kWh by the number of strings you plan to install. Not sure how many your roofline requires? Start by calculating how many feet of Christmas lights you need.

Govee C9 Christmas String Lights: Best for a Classic Big-Bulb Roofline

Govee C9 Christmas String Lights are better suited for homeowners who prefer the classic big-bulb look of LED C9 strings along their roofline, plus want an estimate of their seasonal electricity usage.

Both configurations are rated at 18W. The 98ft option, consisting of two combined 49ft strings, provides twice the lighting length at the same listed wattage, averaging 0.18W per foot compared with 0.37W for the 49ft version. The 49ft string includes 50 bulbs, 12V low-voltage operation, RGBWIC lighting, and over 80 preset modes.

Pros:

• The traditional C9 appearance
• IP67 protection
• UV resistance
• Operating temperature range of -4°F to 104°F (suitable for outdoor rooflines)

Cons:

• Uses more power per bulb (36W per 100 bulbs) than mini LED strings, so mini LEDs are usually the lower-cost choice for shrubs and railings.
• The 98ft configuration has a higher upfront cost.

At six hours nightly for 40 nights, either listed configuration costs $0.79 in electricity. A timer can help maintain consistent operating hours, provided the timer and its installation are suitable for the intended outdoor conditions.

Govee Sphere Net Light: Best for Lighting Round Shrubs on a Small Power Budget

The Govee Sphere Net Light is better suited for homeowners with round shrubs who want even coverage on a small power budget, making it a practical choice among net lights for bushes.

Its stretchable RGBIC design installs without tools and offers 64+ preset modes. The smaller 1.8–3ft version is rated at 15W, consuming 3.60 kWh and costing $0.66 per season. The 3–5ft version uses 25W, totaling 6.00 kWh and costing $1.10.

Pros:

• Even coverage for round shrubs
• Convenient installation
• IP67 protection
• UV resistance

Cons:

• The rounded design isn't ideal for square hedges or railings.
• The larger version also requires more electricity.

Tip: Choose the 1.8–3ft or 3–5ft size according to your shrub's diameter.

LED Mini Lights vs C9 Bulbs vs Net Lights vs Solar

So, which LED Christmas lights outdoor should you choose? The answer comes down to what you're decorating.

LED mini lights generally use less electricity than larger-bulb LED C9 strings, making them a practical choice for trees and railings.

C9 bulbs use more electricity per bulb, but you need fewer bulbs to decorate rooflines while achieving that classic Christmas look.

Net lights make covering shrubs easier because you can simply spread them out.

A single projector light can illuminate an entire wall without requiring multiple strings of lights.

Homeowners can consider solar Christmas lights for a yard with no outlet, as they don't draw electricity from the grid, though cloudy days can affect brightness and runtime.

Fun Fact: According to ENERGY STAR, certified LED decorative light strings use 92% less energy than conventional incandescent strings.

In a 2015 estimate, the U.S. Department of Energy found that lighting a six-foot tree for 12 hours a day over 40 days cost $0.27 with LEDs versus $10 with incandescent lights. That estimate uses an older electricity rate and a different light set, so it isn't directly comparable with the costs above.

Note: Smart lights and their control boxes can use a little electricity even on standby. If you're curious about the actual numbers, an energy-monitoring smart plug can help you find out.

Always follow the safety instructions in the product manual.

Part 5. Recommendation of Energy-Efficient Christmas Lights

To achieve a beautiful and intelligent installation, modern decorative lights come to the rescue.

Govee Cone Tree Lights

Our pick for the Govee Cone Tree Lights is an excellent and eco-friendly centerpiece that gives life to your garden. With only 15W of power required, these lights offer rich RGBIC color variations and 82 different stage modes that adjust according to the music being played. Thanks to their IP67 rating and simple setup, these lights can create a beautiful and personalized light display that can be your patio or garden's dazzling showpiece, while maintaining a delightful small size and minimizing your holiday energy footprint.

Shop more smart LED Christmas lights >>

FAQs about Christmas Lights Electricity Consumption

1. Do Christmas lights raise your electric bill?

Yes, they can, but the amount depends on the type of lights and the number of them. The case with a big incandescent display is that its addition is much more significant than that of a small LED one.

2. Are Xmas lights expensive to run?

Incandescent light bulbs can prove to be quite costly, mainly due to their high power consumption, especially when used on a large scale. On the contrary, modern LED lights are very economical in terms of power consumption; they might only cost you a few dollars for the entire season.

3. What runs up your electric bill the most?

Heating, cooling, and water heating are typically the primary energy-consuming activities in a household. Christmas lights usually account for a minor portion of overall energy consumption, unless you set up a large traditional display.

4. Do LED lights make your electric bill go up?

Yes, but their contribution to the total monthly bill is often not more than just a few dollars, due to the low wattage. The impact of LED holiday lights on a total monthly bill is often negligible.

5. How much does it cost to run a string of Christmas lights for a month?

Using a 100-bulb LED string (5W) for 6 hours a night for 30 days will cost about $0.13. A similar incandescent string (40W) will cost approximately $1.01 under the same conditions.

Conclusion

This holiday season, treat your lights as a source of joy rather than a financial strain. By making wise decisions, such as switching to LEDs and using timers, you can create a spectacular light display that attracts the attention of the whole neighborhood and keeps your inner Scrooge at bay. Go ahead and light it up. The electricity bill is now on the nice list.