Brit family forced to cancel Christmas light displays as electricity is too expensive – here are 5 ways to cut costs | The Sun

A FAMILY have been forced to cancel their Christmas light display because electricity is now too expensive – here are five ways to cut costs and keep the festive cheer going.

Soaring energy costs have already seen a number of homeowners and councils scrap Christmas lights across the nation.

The Leach family – Garry, Gill, Stewart and Maria – have raised tens of thousands for charities like Make-A-Wish and local hospices.

Every festive season they adorn their house in Lewisham, London, with lights, blow up snowmen and nativity scenes with people coming from far and wide to admire their handiwork.

But the family have just told disappointed locals that this year their Victorian terrace will remain in the dark because of the extortionate cost of powering the display.

A statement on their Facebook page reads: “Hello to all of our followers!

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“After lots of careful thought and consideration, we have decided to take a break from setting up our usual Christmas light display this year.

“Due to the cost of energy at the moment, we feel this is a good year to take a break.

“We realise this will come as a disappointment to many of our followers and charity supporters, but hope we will be able to make a comeback next year.

“If you could share this information with friends and family, it would be much appreciated as we do not want people travelling from far and wide to be disappointed when they get here.

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“In the meantime we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”

Residents living near the lights said they were gutted after the display got the chop for 2022.

One said: “Thanks for doing such a brilliant display for so many years and hope to see you back next year. Happy Christmas.”

While another added: “Completely understand but will definitely miss your display. Have a lovely Christmas.”

“Definitely going to miss them," said a third.

The display is also a hit with local children and the family said that they raised £3,200 for Dementia UK last year.

With Christmas just round the corner, here are five ways to cut costs and keep your own festive lights going.

Try out Solar lights

You can purchase solar-powered lights for use outside – these take in sunlight during the day and emit light when it gets dark.

Not needing to be plugged into a socket, they also remove the need for an extension cord.

Switch to LED lights

LED lights also use far less energy than traditional incandescent lights – at some estimates up to 95 per cent less electricity.

Swapping out your festive lights for eco-friendly LED replacements could be good for the planet, as well as your pocket.

Battery-operated lights

Although many Christmas lights are mains powered, you can get battery-operated versions.

With these sorts of lights, you can simply purchase a couple of batteries and know you won’t get a nasty surprise on your next electricity bill.

Reduce your lights

Each LED light bulb consumes electricity and therefore costs money to illuminate.

Reducing your number of lights is a great way to save money on the number of bulbs you’re lighting and your electricity bill.

Plug-in timer

Plug-in timer switches are devices that can be programmed to switch on and off at certain times.

Using a plug-in timer to control your Christmas lights means there’s no danger of them being accidentally left on overnight or while you’re away from home.

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The UK has seen shocking price rises for gas and electricity thanks mainly to the war in Ukraine and pent up demand following the pandemic.

Between 23 February, the day before the start of the conflict, and 31 July, European gas and electricity wholesale prices increased by 115% and 237%.

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