December 9th is Christmas ‘decs-up day’… two weeks later than last year

● The big Christmas lights switch-on will be December 9[1] according to new Uswitch research — two weeks later than last year, when the country was in lockdown[2]

● A quarter of over-enthusiastic Brits (25%) switched their lights on in November this year[1]

● A third of households (31%) will have fewer lights than normal this year, with one in ten (12%) wanting to save money on their energy bills and 11% trying to reduce their carbon footprint[5]

● Norwich is the UK’s biggest Scrooge, spending the least on Xmas lights, while Londoners blow the most on their displays[6]

● With two fifths of households (41%) not checking the power consumption of lights[7], Uswitch.com calls on consumers to look at energy efficiency labels before they buy.

The big Christmas light switch-on will take place on December 9 this year[1] — two weeks later than in 2020, when people put their decorations up early during lockdown[2], according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

However, a quarter (25%) of enthusiastic Brits have joined the likes of Joan Collins and Holly Willoughby by putting their decorations up in November, while 993,000 households even lit up their festive displays in October[1].

People in Birmingham were most likely to switch their lights on in November, with nearly half (47%) of households opting for an early switch-on, followed by Bristol, where 43% did the same[1].

Last year, the most common date for households to turn on their Christmas lights was 26 November, at a time when the country was in lockdown[2].

One in ten households (12%) continue to light their trees and festive displays with inefficient halogen and incandescent bulbs[3], which burn 320% more electricity than their LED equivalents[4].

With the COP26 climate change summit having only recently finished, many households are trying to cut their energy use.

A third of households (31%) have decided to cut down on the number of lights they are putting up this year, with one in ten (12%) doing so to save money on their electricity bills, and 11% wanting to reduce their carbon footprint[5].

The average external Christmas light display cost £44.90 this year, but Norwich is the Scrooge capital of the UK, with people paying just £20.10 on average. Londoners are the biggest spenders, splashing out £79.40 for their external Christmas lights[6].

Average amount spent by households on buying Christmas lights[6]

Many people are still not checking the power consumption of lights before they purchase them, with two in five (41%) saying they never check the label or intentionally look for more energy efficient bulbs[7].

A third (31%) say they just choose the prettiest lights, and one in ten (10%) don’t care how efficient they are[7].

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — although the decorations are actually going up a lot later this year.

“Last year’s November lockdown may have prompted households to go all in on Christmas early, but this year they’re mostly holding back until December 9.

“This means their decorations will be up for less time this year, which will help to reduce energy costs over the Christmas period.

“The majority of people who have LED lights will not pay much to light up their homes with fairy lights. A household with 200 LED fairy lights and a light-up reindeer could expect to increase their bills by only 80 pence over the whole festive period.

“However, anyone sticking with less energy efficient bulbs could expect to add £8.57 to their bills. 

“If you are planning to buy some lights, it is always worth checking the labels to see how much energy they use. LEDs are very efficient and will prevent your energy bills getting out of hand while you enjoy the festive season.”

Find Uswitch’s full list of tips to help save money on your energy bills here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Ross Stebbing

Phone: 07827 836 709

Email: ross.stebbing@rvu.co.uk

Twitter: @UswitchPR

Notes Research conducted online by Opinium, 12 November to 16 November 2021, among 2,000 adults, weighted to be nationally representative. 1. Respondents were asked “When did you, or when will you, turn on your lights this year? This includes decorative lights that you put up for Christmas, either inside or outside, on your Christmas Tree or anywhere else as well.” The average date was December 9. 71% switched their lights on in December, 25% said November, 3.6% said October. 27.8 million households in the UK (ONS). 3.6% of 27.8 million = 1,000,800. 2. Respondents were asked “When did you/will you turn on your lights this year?” Average date was November 26. 3. Respondents were asked “What type of bulbs do you have on your Christmas tree? If you have more than one type, pick the type you have the most of.” 58% said LEDs, 7% said halogen, 5% said incandescent. 4. An LED bulb of the equivalent brightness to a halogen bulb burns 0.01kW compared to 0.042kW. 0.042 / 0.01 = halogen bulb burns 420% of the energy of an LED bulb, and burns 320% more than an LED bulb. 5. Respondents were asked “Are you reducing the number of Christmas lights you will put up this year?” 31% said yes, 12% said to save money on my energy bills, 11% said to reduce my carbon footprint. 6. Respondents were asked “Thinking about all the lights you will put up this year, what was the total cost of purchasing each type? Please think of the total cost of assembling all your Christmas lights for internal or external locations, not just what you have spent this year. UK and regional breakdowns can be found in the table. 7. Respondents were asked “When shopping for Christmas lights, do you check the power consumption or look for energy-efficient lights?” 59% said yes, 41% said no.

About Uswitch 

Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including broadband, mobiles, SIM Only and insurance. We’ve saved consumers over £2.5 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.

In 2022, Uswitch launched its free mobile app, Utrack, to help consumers manage their home energy costs. By connecting to their smart meter, users can track their energy usage hourly, get dynamic insights and calculate potential savings with handy tips. 

Uswitch is part of RVU, a global group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.