Are Christmas lights not a waste of electricity? Why doesn't the government discourage this rather then?

Question

preaching about leaving your TV on standby?

Answer 1

Some things the government considers sacrosanct and would never gripe about. Consider Halloween pumpkins - it's a horrible waste of food (human or animal) and creates tons of landfill waste.

I'm not saying I'm for or against holiday lights or decorated pumpkins. I'm just stating that the government has learned there's certain things they don't stand a chance of getting people to change. lol

Answer 2

I think all the Christmas lights being purchased comes with a warning message asking consumers to be careful and provide other precautionary measures to take since we are talking about live electricity here. The government do warn household but Christmas comes but once a year so I think the people who are putting them on is responsible if in case an accident may happen. Leaving the TV on though is quite different because it eats a lot of volts which could get so hot it may blow up. But ever noticed that Christmas lights are not hot when you touch it? It is indeed, made to last for the whole night.

Answer 3

There is a natural deterrent to wasting electricity. It is called an electrical bill. When you use more electricity, the bill goes up. This is unpleasant.

The government is already discouraging it in a sense since there are significant taxes/fees on your electrical bill.

There are so many uses of electricity that could be deemed frivolous though. We probably don't want to get into discouraging specifics. Someone might deem playing fantasy football wastes too much electricity. Or maybe casinos. Or maybe baseball stadiums. Or maybe art galleries. Or maybe Yahoo! Or maybe... *(fill in the blank with your favorite activity that uses electricity).

Answer 4

I think holiday decorations are a way of spreading joy. A waste of electricity? Perhaps. But there are lots of things that are wasteful and don't bring joy to anyone. Why worry about something that happens once a year and brings happiness to so many? All the lights and the holiday music puts me in the spirit of the season. Is that a bad thing? Not really. It's too bad that the spirit of Christmas doesn't last throughout the year.

Answer 5

When I was younger, in our home, we used to do it up with lots and lots of Christmas lights and at least three candles in every window. We are older now, and each Christmas we have a four-foot artificial tree I keep in a plastic bag in our attic. It is decked out with lots of miniature lights of beautifully different, twinkling colours. It sits very magestically on our cardtable in the living room, and cheers us up immensely all throughout the season, without being a lot of hard work or costing us four meals before New Year's Day arrives. As you get older, you see things a little differently, and the whole Christmas thing gets internalized a great deal more so you are feeling your way through the season instead of buying stuff and overdoing the trinkets. Have a wonderful Christmas no matter how you do it! Sent to you with good energies from Chris in South Portland, Maine, U.S.A. (I am 63 years old, and that little tree in our living room focuses us on Christmas every bit as lovingly as all the tea in China or gifts you often wish they had forgotten to give you.)

Answer 6

One of the traditions in my rural neighborhood is to decorate one's home at Christmas, and I have been decorating my own home for the entire time I've owned it, and prior to that -- enjoyed decorating my Quarters on Post (yes, I retired from the Military), and helping my parents decorate their home (while they were still living).

Since I am willing to bear the additional cost of these displays -- and I do use energy star appliances all the rest of the year -- I don't consider this a sacrifice.

I do this more for the families that like to drive by and see the displays -- and with lighting from 20-30 plus years ago -- these types of 'old style' go over very well with the children -- and the elder citizens of the area.

Answer 7

Ok so maybe Christmas lights doe waste electric, but isnt having xmas lights up part of xmas! It brings alittle joy to peoples lives for just afew short weeks! Theres nothing nicer than seeing peoples faces, including children light up when they see the lights! Its just a little fun for afew weeks! Besides they dont use much electric anyways.

Answer 8

Don't worry about Christmas decoration lights because the Government will ban Christmas soon because it offends the Muslims living in the UK and we all know our Government has no backbone and doesn't want to offend anyone except the British. Can't wait until the next elections. Britain wants it's backbone back !

Answer 9

Never mind Christmas lights what about all the street lighting that is left on all during the night when one is there. We have the technology to make street lights come when someone walks or drives down the road.

Answer 10

And what about all the Neon-Advertisments and Illuminations for Night-Entertainment and what ever You may like and whatever may enjoy? What about all the electricity used on PCs and Laps to surf on all the rubbish websites just for fun? What about the electricity needed for exploration, research and production of things that harm people and destroy what they need for their livings? What about the electricity spoiled round the world to spy innocent people, to keep them arrested just for having independent oppinions and being tortured just for having the wrong skin, passport or religion? What about the electricity spoiled for broadcasting and printing lies and hate all over the world? I could continue the list and fill the universe with all samples for spoiling energy for nothing but destruction, killing, torture, humiliation, lies, robbery, theft and any kind of crimes.