Are Christmas lights getting cheaper (not the cost, but how fast they break)?

For information about commercial or high quality residential lights, I would check out the light vendor page on http://www.planetchristmas.com/vendors.htm

Some of my favorites are http://creativedisplays.com/ and http://www.actionlighting.com/

The trend in lighting is to go to the LED lights that consume less electricity.

This allows the decorator to install more lights without having to upgrade services.

And yes, I do reuse my LED lights.

For the mini incandescent lights, that you can purchase for $2 or less (after Christmas), it is a matter of time to repair or store a set of lights versus the convienence of replacing them.

In lieu of spending hours trying to troubleshoot a strand to find the broken bulb, it is faster and easier to throw the strand away and replace it.

However, the price of copper and the world demand for it is keeping the price of lights higher than they have been in the past.

I agree. The lights we had growing up seemed to last forever, but now I have to replace a few strand a year. Its crazy, but since the only cost a few bucks each, it almost makes sense that they are cheaply made as well.

This year, after Christmas, we are going to hit the sales & buy LED lights. My husband & a bunch of his friends, love them since LEDs don't burn out as quickly as traditional lights, they use less energy, and the colors are often more intense. Maybe this will solve our problem!

They are getting cheaper in both price and quality, you probably also werent allowed anywhere near the lights when you were little(like me) and our parents are so much more careful.

I dont know where you are but in england, LED lights are all the rage, they last for ages and give out a very bright light, they also dont use too much electricity.

I hope that this post doesnt mean that you are putting up your christmas lights as it is way too early!!!

It's hard to tell. We've had the same lights for 10 years, and my husband, the electrician has had me buying surge protectors and he's added extra outlets to accommodate all the lighting at Christmas. I just interchange lights from bad strands if one burns out.

YES- I'm glad I'm not alone in this! I used to have lights last forever, now they are basically disposable. Every year, they are all broken and I have to buy new.

The companies that make these are no dumbies.

I was in the store, and I saw the LED lights. They're supposed to last longer, and now they're more in line with traditional lights, in color and in price. Plus they're more energy efficient.

Just about everything made lately is disposable. Nothing is really made with quality.

yup, they are made cheaper now than ever. don't be suprised if they get recalled this year cause china put lead in them or something.

you mean are they of lower quality: yes