Why not use Solar Christmas lights instead for decorating for both Christmas and New Years?

In my opinion, several factors should be considered.

First of all, how efficient is solar energy? Do the lights burn brightly, as is required of Christmas lights? Most solar lamps used as landscape and yard lighting is too dim. Back in the 1980s, energy saving bulbs were becoming the vogue. They could be seen to the naked eye but were far too dim to be photographed or filmed. They didn’t cast much light,

Second is the spectrum. In landscape lighting, we get amber coloured lighting and the old black-and-white-teevee spectrum and colourless lighting. Christmas lights need to be of a warmer spectrum.

And third, how efficiently do they charge? Winter days are more likely to be cold and grey and winter nights are long. Could they get an adequate charge, especially on those white Christmas days?

In my opinion, solar lights are like fat-free eggnog. It might be a good thing but defeats the purpose of warm and coloured lights on a winter night.

They are not easier and they do not last longer. Their operation is inconsistent and often unreliable. The ones I have had around my house were throw away items as the electronics were usually potted in epoxy and not repairable. They’re also more expensive and require Li or Ni-Cad batteries which are not environmentally friendly. Switching over to them would actually be worse for the environment.

Having your entire house on solar and supplying the mains for regular lights is a different story.

The solar lights in my yard barely last a year. If it is overcast for more than 1 day, they don’t work at all. Although I agree it’s a good idea, the current technology that we have doesn’t support the needed requirements

You are welcomed to do that. People have choices.

@ARE_you_kidding_me ‘s idea is what ought to be done with Solar. It can be used to generate electricity, but probably should be supplemental energy. Yes, with enough panels, it can generate up to 90 percent of a house’s electricity—sometimes. But the shorter winter days and persistence of cloudy, overcast winter days, would require other sources of energy.

By all means, use and encourage the use of solar—but use that electricity for regular Christmas lights, not solar ones.