LEDs can help make your holiday traditions even merrier by cutting energy use and saving you money. LED holiday lights are:

• Energy efficient. They use 70 percent less energy than conventional incandescent strings of lights.
• Long-lasting. They can last up to 10 times longer than incandescent lamps, and lights do not individually burn out.
• They stay cool to the touch, reducing the risk of fire.
• The bulbs are made of epoxy, not glass, so they are much more durable than other lights.

LED holiday lights come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and lengths and are available at many home improvement, drug and grocery stores. The brightness and color of LED lights have also come a long way in the last few years and are now visually appealing. For white lights, you can choose between cool white, which is a bright icy-blue white, or warm white, which has a yellow tint and is the closest to a white incandescent.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy recently calculated the cost savings of LEDs: “Using one LED lamp over the holidays will cost you an estimated $0.45, compared to $5 for mini incandescent string lights and $75 for large incandescent string lights.” Transitioning to LEDs both inside and outside the home can make a real impact on your monthly savings.

Look for ENERGY STAR® certified light strings to ensure top quality and performance, and use a timer to turn lights off after 10 p.m. for even more energy savings.