Decoration lights, gift exchanges, and celebrating the holidays with friends and family are the beauty of the holiday season. At the same time, it’s the time of the year when most households are likely to use more energy. And if environmental concerns aren’t enough, the holidays can also bring on sky-high energy bills. The good news is that it’s not that hard to curb energy consumption during the holiday season – it can actually be quite simple. After all, you should enjoy this time! So take a look at these five tips to have a merry, bright and efficient holiday season.

1.  Clean Up Efficiently

If there’s one thing that unites us all around the holidays, it’s food. And with food comes dishes to clean. Fear not – there really is a more efficient way to use your dishwasher. Some tips: Make sure to choose the air-drying function and avoid the “rinse hold” setting. Do you have a dishwasher that doesn’t have an air-drying function? Simply open the door at the end of the washing cycle and let the dishes air dry!

2. Deck the Halls with Boughs of LED Lights or Tinsel

Who doesn’t love the sight of a warm, cheery home decorated for the holidays? This year, consider thinking outside of the box by replacing light strands with holiday garlands. Tinsel and reflective ornaments provide all the merriment but none of the cost of traditional light strands. Can’t stand to ditch the lights? Consider some merry LED holiday lights for both the inside and outside of your home! You’ll feel great knowing that you’ll be using up to 90 percent less energy. Now that’s something to be jolly about.

3. Temperatures Drop, Bills Soar

Cold weather, cozy home. While temperatures drop and all you want is a comfortable place to relax and spend time with friends and family, some simple, easy tricks can save you money at the end of the month. When it comes to the water heater, keep it at 120 degrees, and make sure your hot water storage tank is insulated. Set your thermostat between 50-60 degrees. Make sure it is at a comfortable setting for any pets that will be staying home. This way, your pipes won’t freeze or burst in the event of a sudden drop in temperature.

4. Show Off your Energy Savvy

Holiday shopping may not be an easy task. But here are some tricks that will help you find gifts that are energy-efficient. First, if you are looking for electronics, choose ENERGY STAR-labeled items and set them to consume the least energy possible when not in use. Another interesting idea for the energy-conscious person in your life is designer light bulbs, such as CFL Plumen ones. They are stylish, save up to 80 percent on energy, and last eight times longer than a standard incandescent. Another useful gift idea is this LED Paperback Book Light that keeps your book pages illuminated without using more electricity than necessary. It’s portable and one set of four AAA batteries lasts for 40 hours.

5. Think Ahead!

With the COP21 negotiations taking place until December 11 in Paris, more than 190 countries are expected to agree on ambitious goals to keep our planet within the two degrees warming scenario. The good news is that energy efficiency is the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective path to meeting CO2 emissions reduction goals. So start the new year off on a good foot and save money and energy during this holiday season!