This is the Christmas to switch to LED lights

This is a better time of year than any to think about trading in those long tangle strands of incandescent Christmas lights for some brighter, more efficient set of LED lights.

Of course, it may be better to simply swear off superfluous holiday lighting, but I highly doubt this vibrant tradition will disappear any time soon. It’s hard to imagine Time Square and all the other iconic downtown Christmas displays across the country giving up now.

So fortunately, big and small companies are pushing LED lights as an alternative to their inefficient predecessor. Home Depot is now offers a recycling program for LED Christmas light strings and many smaller companies such as HolidayLEDs.com are giving discounts on new LED lights when old ones are mailed in for recycling.

But is it really worth it to say “out with the old and in with the new” with your Christmas tree brighteners? Consumer Reports says LED lights have pluses and minuses. On the positive side, the LED version last more than 4,000 hours – more than twice as long as their incandescent counterpart. LEDs are also cooler, which reduces the risk of a fire. They are more expensive, but by using 90 percent less energy, after a few years of use any cost difference is minimal. And, of course, that reduced energy is also good for the environment. Imagine if every tiny light used one-tenth the energy – the saving would add up fast.

Although, if you’re really interested in going the extra mile for the earth this December without foregoing tradition, you could even try solar Christmas lights. But these might run dim if you live too close to the arctic circle and the sun rarely shins.