Are Christmas lights jacking up your electric bill? Big displays could cost you hundreds

Christmas is approaching, which means families are getting their Clark Griswold on and lining their yards with thousands of lights, inflatable Santas and illuminated candy canes.

But with holiday cheer and decor comes an increase in energy usage, including phantom loads, also known as vampire loads or wasted energy.

"Electronics, they still draw a little bit of energy even when they're plugged in," said Kimberly Huffman, a senior communications strategist for Detroit-based power company DTE Energy. "A timer or a power strip is going to shut that power off so that you don't have that phantom load."

Here's what to know about how your holiday cheer is affecting your electric bill, plus some tips on how to limit costs:

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Just how much will my Christmas spirit cost me?

Florida Power & Light, which provides services to more than 12 million people, said holidaygoers who run an animated snow globe throughout December can expect their energy bills to be an estimated $15 extra per month.

Southern California Edison said costs can increase by as much as a few hundred dollars during the holiday season.

A spokesperson for the company said how much Christmas decor impacts your energy bill depends largely on how elaborate the decorations are.

Some homes are more modest with their decorations, but others are so brightly lit that they give Rockefeller Center a run for its money.

Costs also depend on whether you use incandescent bulbs or LED bulbs, Southern California Edison said.

If Christmas enthusiasts light their decorations from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. each day from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31, here's how much your bill could jump per month, according to a Southern California Edison spokesperson:

• Average decorations with LED lights: $5 to $7 increase

• Average decorations with incandescent lights: $33 increase

• Elaborate decorations using LED lights: $47 increase

• Elaborate decorations using incandescent lights: $350 increase

Just how much energy am I using if I decorate for the holidays?

Energy consumption is measured in kilowatt-hours per month, Southern California Edison said. The average usage per household is about 500 kilowatt-hours per month.

Energy usage looks something like this around the holidays, according to Southern California Edison:

• Average display with LED lights: Additional 18 kilowatt-hours per month

• Average display with incandescent lights: Additional 118 kilowatt-hours per month

• Elaborate display with LED lights: Additional 168 kilowatt-hours per month

• Elaborate display with incandescent lights: Additional 1,265 kilowatt-hours per month

The California company also cautioned that because the company serves different climate areas, the amount of energy consumed by a home on the coast is different from the amount of energy used in a home in one of its desert areas.

How to keep your energy bill down during the holidays

Huffman, of DTE Energy, said it helps to either turn the lights off manually or use timers so you aren't wasting energy.

"Most people are going to appreciate the beauty and everything throughout the evening but typically, you want to turn them off with before you go to sleep," she told USA TODAY. "You're still letting your family and neighborhood enjoy the lights when most people are out and about. You don't have to have them on at three in the morning, necessarily."

DTE Energy also recommends using low-energy light strings to keep costs low during the holiday season. Energy Star lights use about 70% less energy than incandescent light strings, Huffman said.

"And another thing that's nice about them is LEDs, whether they're light strings or bulbs, they don't get hot to the touch," she said. "If you've ever tried to change an old-fashioned, incandescent light bulb, you burn your fingers. These don't get hot."

Lastly, you could consider non-electrical options to jazz up your holiday decor.

Florida Power & Light, for example, recommends on its website decorating with wreaths, ribbons, or ornaments.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757 – and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How much do Christmas lights affect your electric bill? Tips to save