Your house may have the X-mas Factor, but what do the neighbours really think? According to the Halifax, 14 million neighbours think  excessive flashing lights actually dampen Christmas spirits.

This year Britons will spend a whopping £600 million on Christmas decorations, and love it or hate it, a growing proportion of this expenditure will go on dressing the outside of our homes with flashing fairy lights, Santas and snowmen.

In fact, according to conservative estimates, the nation will purchase 89 million metres of fairy lights (that’s enough to reach comfortably from the moon to the earth) 32 million metres of which will be hung outside.

But research released today from Halifax Home Insurance has found that flashing external decorations are a bone of contention amongst the neighbourhoods of Britain and can even extinguish the very Christmas spirit they are trying to create.

According to the research over 14 million Britons (37%) feel Christmas decorations have gone ‘over the top’ in their neighbourhood. Over one and a half million go as far as saying that neighbour’s Christmas lights have caused their family stress, affected their sleeping pattern or caused rifts between them and a neighbour.

Over 5 million people also say that other people’s excessive Christmas lights represent a real fire hazard to their homes. In fact Halifax Home Insurance sees a 33% rise in the amount of claims against electrical fires in December compared with the annual average.

Vicky Emmott, senior underwriter at Halifax Home Insurance, commented: "Every year it’s great to see millions of Britons really getting into the Christmas spirit by adorning their homes with decorations. But it does seem that many people feel that the odd house goes too far."

"One solution might be to canvas your neighbours’ opinions before really going to town. Another would be to turn lights off after 11pm so as not to disturb other people’s sleeping patterns."

"Every Christmas we receive thousands of phone calls from householders who have had fire damage to their properties. A large proportion of these claims can be attributed to faulty Christmas lights. We advise people to check that all Christmas lights meet the relevant British safety standards before putting them up."

RoSPA Home Safety Advice: Christmas Lights

If you have old lights, seriously consider buying new ones, which will meet much higher safety standards.

• Look for safety marks e.g. BS Kitemark
• Buy from a reputable store
• Avoid buying second-hand unless you have them professionally checked first
• New lights are transformed down to 24 volt for added safety, or they may be double insulated

• NEVER insert or remove bulbs when switched on
• Inspect cables and bulbs for damage
• Do not use lights that are damaged, dispose of them safely

• Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions
• Use an RCD (Residual Current Device) for added protection against shock
• Do not use the lights outdoors unless specially made for such use
• Don't run the cable under carpets or where it can be damaged
• Keep lights clear of decorations and other flammable materials
• Avoid cables becoming a tripping hazard
• Use a stable support when hanging the lights
• Don't leave the lights on when the room is empty. Remember to switch them off when you go to bed and when you go out of the house
• Don't allow children to play with the lights

• Take care not to damage lights when dismantling and packing them
• Keep them safely stored away out of reach of children
• Avoid damp or excessively hot conditions