Christmas lights: Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert shares tree and outdoor decorations costs calculator
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The new tool can help you plan a sparkling, budget-friendly Christmas 🎄
- Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert site launches a Christmas lights cost calculator
- LED lights are far cheaper to run than traditional incandescent bulbs
- Energy cost depends on wattage, hours used, and light mode (static or twinkling)
- Using timers and efficient settings can cut bills without dimming the festive sparkle
- Even large outdoor displays typically add only pennies to your electricity bill
With the festive season barrelling towards us and energy bills still a hot topic, many households are asking: how much will our Christmas lights actually cost this year?
Handily, Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert (MSE) website has made it easier than ever with a Christmas lights cost calculator, letting you plan ahead and enjoy the sparkle without worry.
The MoneySavingExpert calculator lets you enter your lights’ wattage, the number of hours you plan to run them, and your electricity cost per kWh to get an instant estimate.
How much do Christmas lights cost to run?
For most households, the cost of running Christmas lights is surprisingly modest, especially if you use LEDs.
According to Martin Lewis, a string of 100 LED bulbs left on for six hours a day over a month adds roughly 15p to your electricity bill.
By comparison, the same number of incandescent bulbs would cost about £1.80, showing why LEDs have become the festive default.
Larger displays, such as outdoor icicle lights or inflatables, vary depending on wattage, but the general rule holds: low-wattage LEDs use very little energy.
Which? tested larger LED chains (200–400 bulbs) over a two-month period, running six hours per day, and found that a single string cost about 44p for the entire festive period.
Even for households that love an elaborate display, energy costs remain relatively low.
Tips to keep costs down
Choose LEDs: Modern LEDs are vastly more efficient than “traditional” incandescent bulbs and come in a range of coloirs and styles. Switching from incandescent to LED is the single biggest way to reduce your bill.
Mind the mode: Lights with flashing, twinkling, or chasing modes use different amounts of energy. Some tests found that certain “twinkling-flashing” settings used up to 64% less electricity than static “On” modes.
Limit usage hours: The longer your lights are on, the higher the cost, though even generous use rarely results in huge bills. Using timers ensures your lights only shine when they’re likely to be appreciated.
Check wattage: Knowing your lights’ wattage allows you to calculate costs manually: convert watts to kilowatts (divide by 1,000), multiply by hours on per day, then multiply by your electricity rate. Multiply by the number of days you plan to run them to get an estimate.
Mix displays wisely: Combining a few power-hungry decorations with efficient LEDs keeps the festive feel but avoids unnecessary expense.
The MoneySavingExpert calculator allows you to input your lights’ wattage, daily usage hours, and electricity rate per kWh to instantly see the estimated cost.
With household expenses continuing to rise and energy bills still higher than pre-crisis levels, more people are turning to Utility Warehouse (UW) to save money. UW lets you bundle services like broadband, mobile, energy and insurance into one streamlined account—reducing hassle while unlocking multi-service discounts. The more you bundle, the more you save.
Customers benefit from a single monthly bill, up to £400 towards early exit fees, and access to cashback on everyday spending. UW also offers the UK’s cheapest variable energy tariff when bundled, helping shield households from further price hikes.