Every December, the same panic hits:
“Are my Christmas lights going to bankrupt me?”
You want your home looking like a cosy winter wonderland…
But the bills? Not so magical.
So let’s settle this once and for all with a fun, festive breakdown of how much Christmas lights really cost, and how much solar can offset.
Spoiler: it’s way less terrifying than you think.
🎄 How Much Do Christmas Lights Actually Cost?
Let’s break it down using typical UK stats for December lighting:
Outdoor LED String Lights
- 200 LEDs
- 6 hours per night
- Cost: £1.00–£1.50 for the whole of December
Indoor Tree Lights
- 300 LEDs
- 6 hours per night
- Cost: £1.20–£1.80 per month
Outdoor Curtain Lights / Icicles
- 400–600 LEDs
- Cost: £2–£3 across December
Full Griswold Extravaganza
If you’ve truly gone for it, multiple sets indoors, outdoors, garden, windows, your bill might increase by:
£8–£12 for the month.
Yes. Really.
LEDs are ridiculously cheap to run.
The real December bill spike comes from heating, hot water, cooking and people being home more, not the lights.
☀️ So What Can Solar Actually Offset?
This is where it gets fun.
Even in winter, your solar system can generate enough to cover ALL your Christmas lighting… multiple times over.
Typical Winter Solar Output (6 kW system):
- 5–8 kWh/day in December
- Which equals:
£1.50–£2.60 of free electricity per day
That means:
Solar covers your entire Christmas lights bill in:
- 1 day of winter solar generation.
Everything after that is pure festive profit.
🎅 What This Means for a Solar Home in December
Solar offsets:
✔ Christmas lights
✔ The oven for Christmas dinner
✔ Hot water for guests
✔ Extra laundry
✔ Kids home from school energy usage
✔ Heating circulation pump
✔ TV/films/game consoles
✔ That random air fryer you use once a year
Solar doesn’t just cover the “fun stuff” it covers the expensive stuff too.
💡 LED vs Solar, The Real Comparison
If you’re still worried about lights, here’s your reassurance:
Running Christmas lights for the ENTIRE month costs less than:
- One hot shower
- One dishwasher cycle
- A few hours of heating
- Leaving the TV on overnight
And when you have solar?
Those fairy lights are 100% guilt-free.
Turn them on at 3pm if you want.
Turn your house into a festive runway.
Solar has it covered.
📦 Hot Water Diverters = Free Festive Peak Savings
If you’ve got an iBoost, winter solar may also:
- Pre-heat your hot water
- Reduce boiler usage
- Cut peak-hour electricity costs
All while your lights twinkle away for pennies.
Light Up Your Home, Solar’s Got Your Back
December is expensive enough.
Your Christmas lights are NOT the problem, and solar makes sure they never will be.
The real savings come from solar offsetting the heavy winter usage that actually drives bills up… while you enjoy a guilt-free festive glow.
So go ahead.
Turn the lights on.
Turn all the lights on.
Your solar system can handle it.
If you’d like a free quote for solar, simply fill out the form below or give us a call on 01422 768113.