Chris Tom, Buckeyes Abroad marketing intern, discusses the benefits of LED lights:

Although most trees are not green in winter, you can still be green during this frosty time of the year by investing in LED Christmas lights. While Christmas may have already passed, now is the perfect time to find significantly reduced lights on sale to stock-up for 2012!

These LED lights have been featured prominently by retailers for consuming less electricity. In fact, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article, LED lights can reduce holiday energy bills up to 80 percent and can be connected together to make longer strings of lights than incandescent light strings.

However, not all consumers are rushing to buy these LED lights. LED lights have a higher initial cost which can be offset by saving electricity, depending on how much they are used. Others say that the LED lights are too harsh and unwelcoming in appearance. However with new technology, LED manufactures are getting closer to replicating the incandescent lights’ colors and driving costs down.

According to consumer reports, LEDs are more durable and are more energy efficient. C9 and C7 incandescent lights are brighter than their LED rivals. It was noted that LED lights do not get as hot and can reduce the risk of fires.

In the end there is no clear-cut winner. There are many variables that might sway the decision of the consumer; the light color, brightness, upfront cost, energy savings, cost of electricity in their region. But, certainly LEDs are a strong option for green living. And given all the post-holiday sales, you can find them for cheap right now.