Should christmas lights on houses be reduced or limited in some way?

Hi Pilbara, I live in apartments. Im the middle apartment of three and the one neighbor has gone hog wild with some lights and decoarations! She did last year too. Ill tell ya, its sort of helping me because I dont have to use a porch light! LOL They are so bright and her lighted Reindeer sits so clost to my kitchen window it sort of serves as a night light when/if I get up in the middle of the night! I think its sort of silly to run them all day everyday even while your gone and its daylight out. Ive seen some people do that. And its not even December yet like you said, Id atleast wait until then. Heck some people never take them down!! Bay Lay Gray xx

In favor of conserving as much energy as possible, the beautiful lights should be allowed to stay lit only after dusk till near dawn, for two weeks before Xmas day and almost twelve days later so as not to forget those that follow the Julian calendar and celebrate Xmas on January 6th . . . This seems fair and still cherishing the 'holiday-spirit' ! Good post ! appreciate your concern for the worldly conservation of energy sharing the light, Miss Erica Hidvegi, the Enlightenment Advisor, B.A. Psych/M.A. Transpersonal Studies- Cnslng/Author, Artist, Photographer, Entrepreneur & Freelance extraordinaire http://www.enlightenment-psych.net

I agree I don't know why people start so early with Christmas, it takes the magic off it, not only do some of these displays use a lot of electricity i have seem near accidents happening because people get distracted while driving and looking at the same time...

No. I think its unreasonable to tell people they can only light their house at certain times. If you run a condo association or are on the board of a deed restricted community, you can make those rules. But I don't think there should be any general rule about it, because the more rules there are, the more people have to go out and enforce them when they could be concentrating on things that really harm or impact the community rather than stopped Aunt Mildred from lighting her wreath. Truthfully, a few strings of small Christmas lights are very low voltage and the average person usuallyi only puts up that if they get around to it. and that balances out that one neighbor who goes all out. It is the extreme people who put up 12 lighted inflatable figures, motorzied ice skaters, 500 strings of lights and a laser light show :) I know from my own dealings in communities, the electric company sometimes surcharges them for the extra. THe biggest thing we can do to conserve electricity are the small things we do every day and not what we do in December. Besides, there are plenty of people that go away to soemone else's house, put the heat on low just so the pipes don't freeze, and whose homes use negligible electricity while they are gone.

They pay for their own electricty bill, they should get to decide

its a big waste of energy its disgusting! but lok at all the buisnesess they are the worst they tell us to conserve cut baCk on our a/c and energy but the big company'S and buisnesses can do whatever they want!

There are a couple of houses close to me already smothered with lights. Flashing lights, chaser lights, blazing lights, light up reindeer, illuminated snowmen, and they are on from dusk to dawn. I can't understand why people do this, it's not even December but already our sleep is being disturbed by all these lights. It must cost them a fortune in power bills.

Yes I believe people should exercise moderation with those Christmas lights. I've seen some houses that are completely covered with them. I mean, what are they trying to prove? Are they relatives of Santa Claus or something? LOL Most important reason is energy conservation of course. But additionally, too much Christmas lights can create a fire hazard if they overheat or short circuit. Also, the money they spend on extra electricity could be donated to charity instead. Now that's the true spirit of Christmas, not extravagance in decorations.

Some people just like getting into the "spirit" of things. I don't see a major problem with it, unless they leave them up all year round, and even then, it's their perogative. We can't really go around regulating people's lives. We already have many rules to follow and lighting up the reindeer or having lights around the house is not something I think needs regulating. At the end of the day, it's only their pockets that will be hurting paying an electric bill.

I think putting lights on 24 hours a day and way before christmas isnt good.Lot of people are trying to save money.It's just like throwing away money for no reason.I think it's normal if you put the lights on in the evenings but shut the lights off when you go to bed. I also think some houses are accerating with their lights.It's ok if you want to lighten up your house but your whole house and the whole roof its just too much.It's not about christmas anymore but about showing others how you are able to do this. But it's their decision ofcourse but i don't think they think about other things like environment so it looks bit selfish.

Well I guess if people don't mind the extra electric bill then they can have lights on for as long as they want. I do think it's silly though to put up lights weeks and weeks before Christmas though..maybe as you said, they should have them just a week or so before Christmas. Some people I know really go bananas with lights and decorations outdoors on their property. It never fails, there is always a "news" item of some home that is like winterwonderland with decorations, but a bit of overkill as too much looks tacky to me for some reason