Christmas is a time for giving, but it doesn’t have to be a time for wasting energy. With the turkey to roast, lights to twinkle, and guests to host, December is statistically the most expensive month of the year for household energy bills. However, you can keep the festive spirit high and the bills low with some smart kitchen and heating hacks.
The Kitchen: The Engine Room of Christmas
- The Oven Door: This is the golden rule of roasting. Don’t open the oven door repeatedly to check the turkey! You lose about 20% of the accumulated heat every time you do, meaning the oven has to work harder (and longer) to get back to temperature. Use the window or a meat thermometer instead.
- Lids on Pans: Boiling veg for Christmas dinner? Put a lid on the saucepan. The water boils faster and uses roughly 85% less energy than an open pan.
- Microwave It: For reheating leftovers or melting chocolate, the microwave is far cheaper than the hob.
Lighting and Heating
- Tree Lights: Ensure your Christmas tree lights are LED. They cost pennies to run over the whole month compared to old filament bulbs, which can cost ten times as much.
- The “People Heater”: With a house full of guests, body heat naturally raises the room temperature significantly. If you have 4-5 people in the living room, turn the thermostat down by 1-2 degrees once everyone arrives. You won’t notice the drop in temperature, but your boiler will thank you.
