This Sunday (Oct. 31) is set to be a bright one with nearly one-quarter of British Columbians lighting up their homes just as much for Halloween as they will for Christmas.
Some neighbourhoods could even see their brightest week of the year as 10 per cent of homes will be more decorated this week than they will be on Christmas Day.
About one-quarter of those decorations will be electronic, which includes electric lights, electric jack-o-lantern and plug in inflatables. About 20 per cent of those will use multiple plug-ins, which BC Hydro says could add to electricity costs.
“BC Hydro data shows holiday displays account for about three per cent of the provincial electricity load during the holidays, and Halloween displays could eventually reach that level if the trend continues at its current pace,” said spokesperson Susie Rieder.
The utility said research shows that spending on Halloween decorations could reach an all-time high, spurred on by British Columbians who feel like they missed out during last year’s pandemic-dampened holiday season. Fifteen per cent of British Columbians said they’re noticing more Halloween mega displays now than they did before the start of the pandemic.
BC Hydro said that the 22 per cent of British Columbians who are still using incandescent lights could save on cash by switching over to all LED displays. According to the utility, LEDs last 10 times longer than incandescent lights.
Other tips include setting decorations on timers so they’re not running all the time and tracking your usage online with BC Hydro.
