These Christmas Decorations Are Banned in Alabama

The Christmas season is a time of fun, especially for the kids. I can remember helping my mom decorate our tree up in Gadsden, putting it together and placing the ornaments on the branches.

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After all the ornaments were on the tree, we would string the lights from top to bottom, going all around the tree. Now, as a kid, I never even thought about the different types of bulbs, especially Christmas light bulbs. I just knew they lit up different colors and made the tree look amazing.

However, Christmas lights from now on are going to look a little different.

Incandescent bulbs have been used in Christmas lights for many years. As of August of this year, incandescent bulbs have been banned and can’t legally be purchased in Alabama or any other state in the US. You will only be able to purchase LED bulbs.

The Hill reported on the ban back in April of this year. The Department of Energy finalized the rules that banned the sale of incandescent bulbs. For many years, the DOE has tried to convince consumers to buy LED lights because they will save money in the long run.

Many haven’t paid much attention to the DOE’s advice, though now it's officially breaking the law to sell incandescent bulbs.

You can still use the incandescent bulbs, you just can’t legally purchase them. So the next time you go to your favorite retailer for Christmas lights, don’t be surprised if they are all LED. If the store still has incandescent light bulbs, technically, they can’t sell them; but it's unlikely that the light swat team is going to come through Northport, Cottondale, or downtown Tuscaloosa to check any lights.