How Much Do Christmas Lights Cost to Run? Electricity Calculator
Five 100-bulb LED strings cost about $1.14 for the whole season, incandescent about $6.53, at 6 hours a night for 32 nights and 17¢/kWh.
· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · next EIA update ~Oct 23
On this page: CalculatorTableHow we calculatedSources
Jump to calculator ↓The slider nudges the rate field above; the URL keeps your scenario.
- 5 LED mini strings, season
- $1.14
- 5 incandescent mini strings
- $6.53
- Typical LED mini string
- ~7 W per 100 bulbs
- Typical incandescent mini
- ~40 W per 100 bulbs
- Default schedule
- 6 h/night × 32 nights
- Rate used
- 17¢/kWh (EIA 2025 annual)
Why this number
Holiday lights are a watts × hours question with one twist: the wattage is printed on the box, and it differs by a factor of five or more between LED and incandescent strings of the same length. The calculator takes your string count and package wattage; the table shows typical displays at the default schedule.
What typical displays cost for the season
Six hours a night, 32 nights (December 1 to January 1), 17¢/kWh, package-typical wattages:
| Display | Total load | Per night | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 strings of 100 LED minis (7 W each) | 35 W | $0.04 | $1.14 |
| 5 strings of 100 incandescent minis (40 W each) | 200 W | $0.20 | $6.53 |
| 10 LED mini strings + 2 LED C9 strings | 75 W | $0.08 | $2.45 |
| 10 incandescent mini strings + 2 C9 strings | 750 W | $0.77 | $24.48 |
| Big display: 30 LED mini strings + 6 LED C9 | 225 W | $0.23 | $7.34 |
| Big display: 30 incandescent minis + 6 C9 | 2,250 W | $2.29 | $73.44 |
Two things decide the number: bulb technology, which moves the load by five to six times for the same string, and hours, which a timer controls. Rate matters in proportion — at Hawaii’s 52.72¢ every figure above is 3.1× higher, at Nevada’s 13.11¢ about a quarter lower — and the state quick-fill applies it. The display itself is rarely the December bill problem; a space heater at 1,500 W draws more than 200 LED mini strings.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Christmas lights add to the electric bill?
For most homes, a few dollars: five 100-bulb LED strings for 6 hours a night over 32 nights use about 6.7 kWh ($1.14 at 17¢/kWh); the same display in incandescent minis uses about 38 kWh ($6.53). A large incandescent display with C9 bulbs is where it climbs into the tens of dollars — the table above shows the steps.
Are LED Christmas lights really cheaper to run?
Yes, by roughly five to six times on the package ratings: about 7 W per 100 LED minis against about 40 W for incandescent, and about 2.5 W against 175 W for a 25-bulb C9 string. Whether they pay back their higher price in one season depends on how many strings you run and your rate — enter your own numbers above.
Does a timer save much?
It saves in proportion to the hours it removes: cutting 8 hours a night to 5 cuts the season cost by 37.5%. The calculator’s hours field is the timer; try it with your display.
How we calculated this
Season cost = total watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per night × nights × rate ($/kWh). Total watts = strings × watts per string, using the rating printed on the package (typical: ~7 W per 100-bulb LED mini string, ~40 W incandescent, ~2.5 W per 25-bulb LED C9 string, ~175 W incandescent C9). Per night = total watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × rate. The rate is EIA’s 2025 annual residential average unless you change it; the state quick-fill uses EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.
Where to go next
- Electricity cost calculator — The same watts × hours × rate arithmetic for any appliance.
- Cost to run a space heater — The other December load — 1,500 W beats any light display by a wide margin.
- Electric blanket vs space heater — The cheapest way to stay warm at night, state by state.
- Electricity rates by state — Your state’s EIA rate, which moves every figure here in proportion.