Light Up Your Christmas Without Breaking Your Bank (or Your Back!)

Christmas lights are often our first (literal) beacon of the holiday season. We all have that neighbor who runs the county at risk of a power grid-overload, but we usually secretly love when someone overdoes it, because frankly, as long as it’s not us, it’s fun to look at. If we all keep the spirit of the season in mind and remember that it’s not a competition, we’re all in for some twinkle fun. The goal is to be festive but also not create a lot of stress. The holidays are stressful enough, so let’s eliminate that.

One of your first Christmas light plan considerations is cost. You know we all see that spike in our electricity bills in December and there’s no reason not to participate with today’s LED options. They use considerably less electricity and look just as beautiful, if not more so.

Time is Money 

The next thing you really want to think about when researching Christmas lights and other holiday decor is time and what it’s worth to you. I know I will spend hours making sure that every decoration is placed just so on the Christmas tree indoors, but when it comes to outdoor illumination, I’m more of a plug it in and go kind of woman. Today’s light projectors mean you can avoid hour and hours of painfully placing your Christmas lights on the roof a la Clarke W. Griswold fashion. There are even fun ones available like Candy Cane projectors. The best part? If you get tired of the scene, walk out and change the bulb, all in under 20 seconds. In Canada, that means you can walk out in your t-shirt and do it. No coat = winter win.

Have fun

My kids love inflatables on our front lawn, when they were little they would add to the wonderment of the season. Now that they’re older they get nostalgic about it. You can find inflatables for the holidays that lean more traditional like Santa and Snowmen, or ones that have a little more whimsy, like Darth Vader holding a Christmas present. The best part is that they are wonderfully affordable. This 10 foot Santa is super festive but is only $69 at Walmart. 

Pack it Up 

One of the biggest stressors of the holidays happens when it’s time to put it all away. Despite what you promised yourself last year, you’re going to ask yourself where the heck you are going to put all this stuff. Inflatables are easy to store and projection lighting takes up considerably less room than spools and spools of Christmas lights.  Plus, since they’re easy to dismantle, you don’t end up being “that guy” who has their lights up until Easter.

One of my favourite scenes in the movies is in The Grinch where Betty Lou Who is desperately trying to “win” the neighbourhood lighting contest and Martha May Who comes out with a this crazy lighting machine and blows her out of the water. It always cracks me up, but the reality is that now with all the technology we have accessible, it really is that easy.

Image Source Christmas Vacation: Warner Bros. Ent.