Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat. But the energy bill doesn’t have to.

If you’re looking for an easy, energy-efficient alternative to traditional Christmas lights this year, why not switch to LEDs? Now is a good time since prices have dropped considerably in the last few years.

LEDs — short for Light Emitting Diodes — bright, compact little bulbs that use very little energy, create very little heat and have a long life.

Because LEDs have a longer lifespan – one strand can last up to 100,000 hours instead of the average 1,500 hours of a traditional string – this means more money saved and less waste in the landfill. The cost of lighting a Christmas display over an entire month can be decreased immensely. According to Clark Public Utilities, LEDs use 90 percent less electricity.

In a comparison study, Consumer Reports found LEDs used 1 to 3 kilowatt hours of energy, compared with 12 to 105 kilowatt hours for incandescents, saving from $1 to $11. Even though the initial cost may seem prohibitive, returns on the investment can be seen within the first year or two.

Since LEDs emit light using very low wattage, they produce mostly light energy versus heat energy as incandescent bulbs do. This means LEDs produce a lot of light from a little power. Cooler bulbs means safer holidays. Lower wattage means saving money and natural resources. And more bulbs can be used on the same electrical circuit. Using timers to regulate the on/off cycle can further reduce energy costs.

LEDs are colored light, so you don’t have to worry about bulbs fading or chipping over the life of the string. Also, the bulbs are plastic, so are less likely to break than incandescents.

Christmas Lights, Etc., one of the largest suppliers of Christmas lights for homes and businesses, reports a more than 200 percent increase in sales of LED lights and products this year despite the slow economy.

The White House Christmas tree is now lit with 37,000 LEDs and Rockefeller Center tree uses 30,000 LEDs. Closer to home, Esther Short Park Community tree is lit with LEDs as well as Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square tree.

The concept of LEDs was discovered in 1907, but they weren’t manufactured until the 1960s and came with a high price tag. As more benefits have been discovered, costs decreased and the lights have become popular and inexpensive.

To read more about LEDs from Clark Public Utilities, see this website: http://tinyurl.com/ygeynpc.