WEST ALLIS, Wis. – The peak holiday season is here, and festive lights and decorations are already starting to brighten neighborhoods across the area. Residents who live on Candy Cane Lane share their tips for keeping all that holiday sparkle energy-efficient.
"You know, Santa's a real person," Ken Perkl said.
Perkl is the Santa Claus of Candy Cane Lane. When he isn't giving out candy to kids, he's fixing up his classic Christmas house display.
"It's the old Christmas scene with Santa coming. So people love it. It's kind of nostalgic," Perkl said.
His yard is decked out in decor—most of it he reuses every year.
"I use some LEDs, not a lot, but people use the LED lights and timers. You got to get a timer so it turns it on just at a certain time and off," Perkl said.
Like Ken's approach, We Energies' holiday energy saving tips include:
- Replacing old lights with LED strings. Even if the LEDs cost more upfront, they use a fraction of the energy and last up to 20 years.
- Plugging indoor and outdoor displays into a timer or unplugging lights manually.
- Instead of adding lights, you can add more tinsel or reflective materials to add more sparkle.
Patty Hudy also lives on the lane. She keeps a collection and shops smart on decorations.
"Those cost a lot, but thank goodness I got get them on sale so, you know, at the end of the season, and save quite a bit." Hudy said.
But what about the price of your safety? We Energies says there are four things you should do before plugging in your lights:
- Inspect lights for damaged sockets, plugs, or cords—and replace any faulty pieces.
- Use outdoor-rated lights and keep ladders and decorations well away from power lines.
- Avoid overloads—no more than three light sets per extension cord.
- Use heavy-duty extension cords and never run cords under rugs.
Ken says that over the past seven years, the neighborhood’s holiday display has raised $1 million for the MACC Fund, supporting childhood cancer and pediatric research. This year, they’re aiming to raise $135,000 more.
"It's just fun. It's fun. I got to say this particular neighborhood is probably one of the best in the city. Everybody gets along, everybody helps each other," Hudy said.
"It does cost you energy to put on a great show like this, but it's worth it. Every second, every minute is worth all the things we do here," Perkl said.
Candy Cane Lane will officially light up this upcoming Friday after Thanksgiving.
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