Powering Montana’s Holiday Lights More Affordable Than Elsewhere

When it's holiday season in Montana, the weather changes and the celebrating begins. There is one thing that is almost always guaranteed every winter and holiday season. That your electric bill will most likely be going up. Not just from the heat and the house lights, that are on longer during the day, the holiday lights and decorations also add to more power usage and your bill. 

Montana Is Seeing More Holiday Inflatables These Days

More people are not only putting lights up on their homes these days, but they are adding in all kinds of inflatables to their decorations. Everything from Santa on a motorcycle, to twelve foot tall inflatable snow globes. All of these devices take power to light up the Montana night sky. So how much do holiday lights cost Montanans? Where does Montana rank compared to other states for price of keeping holiday decorations lit up? Mr.Electric may have some answers. 

Montana Is One of the Cheaper States for Holiday Decorations

Montana is one of the cheaper states in the nation to power your holiday decorations. Mr. Electric analyzed how much it would cost to keep both incandescent and LED lights on for seven hours a day, seven days a week from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. That is 37 days total. They also broke their findings down into three categories.

• Typical Usage - A total of approx. 10 strands of lights.
• Heavy Usage- Includes roof, driveway, walkway with multiple trees lit up.
• Enthusiastic Usage- Think Clark Griswold from Christmas Vacation.

According to the report Montana ranks as the 14th least expensive state to power holiday decorations. Washington state is the least expensive followed by Louisiana, Utah, Idaho, and Tennessee rounding out the top five. The most expensive state to power holiday decorations is Hawaii.

Holiday Decorations Now Banned in Montana

When looking at the difference in costs for incandescent lights and LED it may not be too much of a surprise that the federal government has decided to outlaw certain holiday lights due to the cost and power it takes to light them up.

Related: Federal Government Bans Popular Christmas Decoration in Montana  

If you happen to have a holiday display that is worthy of some recognition. Townsquare Media is holding a contest right now "Light Up Missoula", thanks to our friends at Missoula Electric Cooperative. Submit a picture of your holiday decorations to be entered for a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card just in time for the holidays.