A report shines a light on the average bill to bring Christmas sparkle to your home and it's probably lower than you might think

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It wouldn't be Christmas without lights, but have you ever stopped to think about how much you’re spending?

With electricity costs soaring, many families are thinking twice before they deck their halls this year, for fear of a nasty shock when the bill comes in.

Of course, how long you keep your lights on for each night and how many lights you use will affect your final costs.

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But, based on an average amount of festive bling, you bill is unlikely to break the bank.

According to consumer group Which? the average cost for turning your Christmas lights on for a month is only £8.94, and if you use LED bulbs over incandescent ones, your bill can drop to just 90p for the month.

This figure reflects a full month of turning on your lights for at least six hours a day.

However, it is based on seven strings of 40 watt lights with 100 lights per string.

That's probably enough to decorate a tree and a couple of windows or a fireplace.

If you go for the Full Monty with full-on outside lights and burn them for longer, your bill could add up to much more.#

Consumer advice centre HomeOwners Alliance recommends LED bulbs, as they use less electricity than incandescent ones and will last longer.

Although the initial outlay may be higher, an LED bulb will give you 25,000 hours of festive glow, compared to an incandescent bulb's 1,000 hours .

Christmas lights that use LED bulbs are also more energy efficient and better for the planet.

LED bulbs also emit fewer greenhouse gases than their incandescent counterparts, making them more environmentally friendly.

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