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UK Christmas lights could buy 14 million mulled wines

23 December 2024 By Sophie Arundel

Did you know..? The UK’s Christmas lights are costing £93.7 million this year – the same as 14 million cups of mulled wine.

With Christmas just around the corner, the UK’s streets are glowing brighter than ever thanks to twinkling fairy lights and dazzling displays. But here’s a festive fun fact: the total cost of lighting up the nation this year is a staggering £93.7 million – or, to put it in our language, the price of 14.4 million cups of mulled wine.

The insight comes from VegasSlotsOnline, which calculated the cost by factoring in energy usage, electricity rates, and the number of days the average Brit keeps their decorations up. Whether it’s a modest string of lights or a full-blown winter wonderland, the nation’s collective glow doesn’t come cheap.

For those who prefer their festive spending in mince pies and hot chocolates rather than kilowatt-hours, the numbers are equally striking. That £93.7 million could buy 9.3 million boxes of premium mince pies (roughly 55.8 million individual pies), or 18.7 million steaming cups of hot chocolate.

Of course, there’s no denying the joy that Christmas lights bring – they transform dark winter evenings into something magical and are a staple of the season. But as energy costs rise, there’s growing interest in ways to keep the sparkle without the hefty price tag. Switching to LED lights, opting for timers, or even trying solar-powered options can all help light up the season more sustainably.

And while there is no mad rush to trade in your Christmas lights for mulled wine (or mince pies, for that matter), it’s an eye-opener to see just how much our festive habits cost.

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