Halloween mega displays on the rise in B.C. neighbourhoods
By BC Hydro
New research from BC Hydro finds festive lights and blow up decorations are no longer limited to just the holiday season as more British Columbians are putting up Halloween ‘mega displays.’
The survey finds almost a quarter of British Columbians now decorate about the same amount for both Halloween and Christmas – with almost ten per cent decorating more for Halloween. Much like during the holidays, about a quarter will be using electronic Halloween decorations this year, including outdoor lights (13 per cent), electronic jack-o-lanterns (13 per cent) and plug-in inflatables (five per cent). Of those using electronic decorations, 20 per cent will use multiple plug-ins, which 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 Susie Rieder, BC Hydro spokesperson.
In fact, research indicates consumer spending on Halloween decorations is expected to reach an all-time high this year, as many feel they missed out on celebrations last year because of COVID-19. This could be why 15 per cent of British Columbians said they have noticed more Halloween mega displays in their neighbourhood since the start of the pandemic.
Although many British Columbians are putting up Halloween lights, 22 per cent are still using a mix of older inefficient incandescent lights with some LEDs, while about eight percent use all incandescent lights, increasing their energy costs and consumption. British Columbians can save this Halloween by doing the following:
- Switching to LEDs: Decorative LED lights last ten times longer than incandescent lights and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours.
- Plugging into timers: Reduce electricity costs by only having lights and decorations on when needed.
- Using MyHydro: See how Halloween decorating impacts electricity use by using the electricity tracking tools available on MyHydro, which can be accessed from a mobile device or at bchydro.com.
For more information on how to save money while powering your home with clean energy visit powersmart.ca, or check out BC Hydro’s Electrification Plan at bchydro.com/electrificationplan.
