NANAIMO — British Columbians are apparently spending more money and consuming more power during the spooky season than ever before, competing with the winter holidays in terms of effort put into decorating.
A recent survey from BC Hydro showed four out of every ten households in the province said they now decorate for Halloween as much as Christmas, sometimes even more.
More than 80 per cent of those surveyed said Halloween decorations have become more common over the last decade, with nearly two-thirds declaring Halloween as the biggest decorating day of the year.
With new technology comes higher power expenses, as people shift from the traditional carved Jack-o’-lanterns to animatronic and light displays.
More than 20 per cent of survey respondents stated they use inflatables, while 16 per cent had electronic decorations that moved.
The survey stated people start decorating for Halloween earlier, with 27 per cent turning on their electronic displays at least 15 days before Oct. 31.
Nearly 40 per cent keep displays operating for four to six hours each evening, with around 44 per cent using a timer or smart plug to control their displays.
BC Hydro said this shift in spooky decor usually comes with an increase in power consumption.
The average fog machine consuming between 400 and 1,200 watts while heating, with larger animatronics drawing between 30 and 200 watts while in operation, according to BC Hydro.
The provincial utility provider said there are several ways to reduce power consumption this Halloween, without having to sacrifice any decorations.
Tips include using LED lighting, which last 10 times longer than regular incandescent lights and using timers or smart plugs to ensure the displays are only activated when needed.
You can also download the new BC Hydro app to more easily track your energy use.
The survey was conducted online for BC Hydro from a sample of 815 British Columbian adults between Oct. 16-20.
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