Christmas lights vs. pre-lit Christmas tree: running cost
A christmas lights is cheaper to run: about $0 a year versus $4 for a pre-lit Christmas tree at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $3 difference.
| Christmas lights | Pre-lit Christmas tree | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 5 W | 40 W |
| Watt range | 2–200 W | 15–300 W |
| Typical use | 6 hours a day for 3 months a year | 6 hours a day for 3 months a year |
| Energy per year | 3 kWh | 22 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 0.09¢ | 0.7¢ |
| Cost per day | 0.5¢ | 4.3¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.16 | $1.31 |
| Cost per year | $0 | $4 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $1 | $10 |
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What drives the difference
- Christmas lights: Per strand: 100 LED mini lights draw about 4-7 W versus 40 W for incandescent minis; C9 incandescent strands draw 7 W per bulb. A typical home display has 10-30 strands, so multiply accordingly.
- Pre-lit Christmas tree: A 7.5-ft pre-lit tree with 700-1,000 warm-white LEDs draws about 30-60 W; incandescent versions with 700 mini lights draw about 280 W.
Ways to cut either cost
Use about 85-90% less power and stay cool.
See options on AmazonTurns lights on at dusk and off after a set number of hours.
See options on AmazonUses about a sixth of the power of incandescent pre-lit trees.
See options on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. It never changes the numbers we show. Disclosure.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a christmas lights or a pre-lit Christmas tree?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a pre-lit Christmas tree costs about $4 a year versus $0 for a christmas lights. That's $3 more, or 8.0× as much.
How many watts do christmas lights and pre-lit Christmas tree use?
A christmas lights typically draws 5 W (range 2–200 W). A pre-lit Christmas tree draws 40 W (range 15–300 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.