Decorating your house at Christmas is a very fun tradition, right? But, in New York this can be very expensive. Every year, families put up lights, decorations and even huge displays; but what happens with electricity bills? They can reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars! So, let’s learn more about this tradition and what’s behind it.
Christmas lights
The idea of decorating houses with lights started a long time ago. In the 17th century, families in Germany used candles to light up the long months of winter. This symbolized the hope and the return of light during the darkest days. With the passage of time, the candles became electric candles and now homes and streets are full of colorful decorations that can be seen from far away.
Popular culture has also made popular Christmas lights. For example the movie Christmas Vacation shows Clark Griswold covering his house with 25,000 lights, leaving the entire neighborhood with no power. Even though this is just a movie, today in New York there are people who go big with home decorations inspired by this idea of a “Griswold Christmas.”
Dyker Heights
One of the most popular places in New York due to its Christmas lights is Dyker Heights, in Brooklyn. Residents there spend a lot of money to make their homes look spectacular:
- Some of them pay between $5,000 and $8,000 per month just in electricity bills because of these light decorations.
- Others pay companies to decorate their houses, which can cost them up to $20,000 if they want animated displays, fully lit trees, and decorations visible from several streets away.
These incredible decorations catch tourists, photographers, and families’ attention, making Dyke Heights a touristic place during Christmas time. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit the neighborhood to enjoy these decorations.
How much do New York people spend?
Even out of Dyke Heights, decorating for Christmas in New York is expensive. A study revealed that New Yorkers spend an average of $463.25 per year on Christmas lights, which is the highest amount in the entire country. Let’s compare it with other places:
- California: $439.44
- Indiana: $433.53
- Idaho: $117.64
New York City itself ranks fifth in the U.S. for cities spending the most on lights, averaging about $398.40 per household. Some residents in Dyker Heights, however, spend up to $700 or more just for electricity before even counting decorations.
How long are the lights on?
Of course, the longer the lights are on, the more people pay on electricity bills. In the state of New York, the lights are on 6.8 weeks on average; residents keep them on 8.3 hours per day for nearly seven weeks.
Other cities, like Green Bay and Indianapolis, leave their lights on for up to 10 weeks, which increases electricity bills.
How to save money
There are some ways to save some money without losing the magic:
- Using LED lights: they consume up to 70% ññess energy than traditional lights and they can last decades.
- Try lasers: a single laser projector can light up a house with less electricity and create a bright, colorful effect.
Yet, about 25% of people don’t decorate their homes with lights because of the economic consequences. In New York state, where electricity is already expensive, Christmas decorations reinforce this concern.
So…
New York’s Christmas lights show us that holiday traditions are about celebration, creativity, and bringing people together, even if it comes with a higher electricity bill. Do you decorate your home with Christmas lights as much as people in Dyker Heights do? If so, do you pay more or less than people in New York?