Earlier this week, we talked about the debate over the proper time to put up Christmas decorations. My family and I decorated our tree on December 1, and are still gradually taking boxes out of the garage to hopefully finish putting up the rest of our decorations over the weekend. Now, it’s time to discuss the etiquette behind outdoor Christmas lights. You don’t have to be a Clark Griswald or a Snoopy to recognize that for some people, Christmas lights can go from beautiful outdoor accents to annoying light pollution after a certain time of night. In the spirit of being a good neighbor, The Spruce decided to talk to experts about the proper time at night to turn holiday lights off and when to take them down. The general consensus is 10:00 p.m., but at the end of the day, it’s all about being considerate to those around you.
How Late at Night to Keep Christmas Lights On: In general, experts agree that Christmas lights outside your home should be turned off by around 10 p.m. However, it also depends on what types of lights—and what types of neighbors—you have.
“We all know there can be a huge difference between a restrained light display and a mammoth, flashing-lights extravaganza,” says Jo Hayes, founder of Etiquette Expert. “Be considerate. Do your flashing lights display impact your neighbors’ enjoyment of their own home? Specifically, does it impact their internal space—especially their bedroom spaces?”
If so, Hayes suggests switching lights off well before standard sleeping hours at around 9 p.m.—as this acts as a middle ground for children’s sleep schedules and honoring the season.
“However, if it’s a ‘gentle’, non-impactful Christmas lights display, there may be no need to turn the lights off,” says Hayes. “Some people may choose to leave them on all night, and if the neighbors are okay with it, it is likely okay.”
When in doubt, simply ask your neighbors if they prefer the lights to be off at a certain time. You can even enhance the appearance of your street by matching up your timing. “This is especially true if you live on one of those blocks where people come to see the decorations,” explains Jules Hirst, etiquette expert and co-author of Power of Civility. “Coordination here is imperative so everyone can see the decorations, but all the homeowners can get some rest.”
Why Keeping Lights On Late Can be Disruptive: “They can make bedrooms too bright, disrupt neighbors’ sleep, draw noise or traffic toward your home, or simply feel intrusive once the neighborhood has gone quiet,” says Alison Cheperdak, etiquette coach and founder of Elevate Etiquette. Plus, it isn’t just about how it affects others. Hirst says that holiday lights can make your home more of an eyesore than a spectacle. “Unless you live in Las Vegas, the lights do not need to be on all night. It is great to be festive, but it is not okay to be annoying.”
When It’s Okay to Keep Lights On Late: Still, there are certain situations where it’s acceptable to leave your lights on through the night.
“Most people [leave] their lights on a little later on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve to enjoy that extra sparkle,” Hirst notes. You can also adjust based on the local environment and habits of those who live around you.
“If homes are spread far apart, if you live in a rural area, or if your lights are soft and stationary, they are unlikely to bother anyone,” Cheperdak says.
How Late in the Season to Keep Christmas Lights Up: In addition to how late in the night to keep Christmas lights on, it’s also helpful to consider how late in the season to leave them up. Experts agree that early to mid-January is the cut-off.
“Many families celebrate later with extended family, enjoy post-holiday travel, or simply want to savor the warmth of the season a little longer,” Cheperdak explains. After that, however, they should be off and removed from your home’s exterior.
“If you can’t take them down after the first week of January, make sure they are at least powered off and then take them down as soon as you are able,” Hirst says. “Holiday lights should feel magical during the season and gracefully disappear once the season passes.”
Most of this is common sense. We do Christmas lights along the outline of the roof and deck. They’re timed to be lit from 5:00 p.m. until midnight, but this etiquette lesson makes me want to reconsider moving that timer up to end earlier. When we lived in a townhouse, we shut them off around 9:30 p.m. because we had neighbors who went way too heavy on the LEDs and wanted to be “better” neighbors. Now, I have woods in front of my house, so we’re pretty insulated and the neighbors that can see our lights are far enough away that their own lights don’t bother us. I’ve always assumed it went both ways, but I’ll be checking with them this weekend just to be sure.
While I agree that there should be an expiration date for outdoor lights and decorations, I think there should be a grace period. My husband and I both grew up Catholic, so we adhere to the January 6 rule for taking down indoor decorations, but will extend the outdoor ones until whatever weekend follows the 6th, which this year is the weekend of Jan. 10th and 11th. I think that’s a pretty reasonable time to take them down. I wish there were more holidays earlier in the year to decorate for in the same way that we do for Halloween through Christmas. It’s always so depressing to take them down and have your home and yard look bare.
Photos credit: Peter Chapin, Mana5280, Gautam Krishnan and Brian Wangenheim on Unsplash