Warning issued to UK households putting up Christmas lights in December

UK households have been told to follow three simple decorating rules for Christmas - and save a stack of cash. @greenilyco shared three simple ways you can stop your bills from growing as we head towards the festive season next month.

S he said: "If you're buying new lights, go with LED. They consume 80% to 90% less energy than regular incandescent bulbs, and can last up to 100,000 hours versus 3,000 hours for incandescent lights. Grab a timer, and plug all your Christmas lights into it.

"Then set it to turn the lights on and off, so you're only using energy when it makes sense to have them on. Do you really need your lights on in the middle of the night?" Her third tip saw her say if you have strings of lights that no longer work there's no need to throw them in the bin.

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Instead, send them to a certified company to be recycled. The Energy Saving Trust states: "LED light bulbs typically use around 80% less energy than halogen lights. If you’re still using Christmas lights from years ago, now’s the time to upgrade to more energy efficient lighting Make sure you recycle the old ones as electrical waste.

"In fact, replacing all of your home’s halogen light bulbs with LED bulbs could save you £40 in GB and £50 in NI a year. Better yet, look for solar powered fairy lights and decorations. What better way to lower your electricity costs over Christmas than by using sunlight for free?

"Even on cloudy December days, you should be able to capture enough light to power your decorations during the night." It adds: "Most modern Christmas lights now come with a timer that lets them stay on for around eight hours and turns them off for the rest of the day. This should help keep your costs down and ensure your lights only come on at night when they’ll look their best.

"If you don’t have a timer, remember to switch your lights off at the plug, especially when you go to bed. This goes for your appliances too. Switching devices off standby all year round could save you £45 in GB and £55 in NI a year off your electricity bills."