Go From Twinkle to High-Tech

So maybe you've been holding out, still using your old incandescent Christmas lights. Sure, they are cheaper, but in truth, LED lights have a brighter glow, do not burn as hot as traditional lights, and they last longer and consume less electricity.

Like in previous years, retailers are offering some incentives to move the earth-friendly, but pricey, LED lights.

Home Depot allows customers to trade in old incandescent Christmas lights. You can save between $3 and $5 per strand, depending on the style of holiday lights you purchase. Read more about the trade-in here.

Just bring in your old, broken or used incandescent holiday light strings to your local The Home Depot store for recycling. Get a discount for each recycled string on a single receipt, in-store purchase of LED lights. There is a limit of five discounts per customer.

Lowe's is also offering discounts on LED lights, but no trade-in is required. The most affordable strand is just under $4, but it's just 25 lights. A 50-strand or 100-strand set of lights will set you back $8 to $11, respectively.

Now, over at , there is a storewide sale that might save you big bucks on a lot of small-dollar merchandise, not just holiday lights. On Saturday, November 26, the hardware stores are offering 50 percent off coupons on any item under $30. Read about that special offer.

Once you have your lights up, or if you notice a neighbor with good lights, let . We're searching for the best holiday lights and telling you where to find them.