A greater number of B.C. homes will be boasting Christmas blow-ups and bright lights this year even as many people stress over holiday spending, a BC Hydro survey has found.
In a typical year, around 15 per cent of British Columbians commit to at least 10 strings of lights and multiple plug-in and blow-up displays, but this year that number is expected to jump 50 per cent.
And while the mega decorators may be a minority, they are a committed one. Every single survey respondent who said they’ve gone full out in the past said they plan to do so again. Lower Mainland residents are particularly enthusiastic, with residents there three times more likely to create mega displays.
This commitment doesn’t come without some cost. BC Hydro estimates the price of running one plug-in Santa, snowman or reindeer comes out to about $50 per Christmas. And for people using incandescent lights instead of LED ones, BC Hydro says they’re spending around $5 per string more than they need to.
For many survey respondents, this was a concern. About 60 per cent said they’re facing cost pressures this season.
More than one third of respondents said they plan to decorate minimally, with just one or two strings of lights and maybe one blow-up, while 18 per cent said they don’t plan to decorate at all. About 30 per cent of both groups sited costs as a reason for scaling back.
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