I leave our lights up through Mardi Gras. We live in Seattle so darkness is our friend until March. Leaving them up through the long dark makes a 5a start seem less irritating and I feel like it brightens up the neighborhood a bit. We have also put up some year round, inoffensive, hipster lights that are either party/relax, depending on your mood.
We also have to worry about Volcanos, mainly Mount Rainier. That fucker is likely going to wipe out Orting, Puyallup and Eastern Tacoma/Fife. I5 is going to be impacted in a few spots. The entire region will be reeling from that explosion for weeks, if not months.