Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Fa La La La La La La La La

Christmas is a season of excess, when everything we like to do, we do to the umpteenth degree. We pig out, we spend too much money and we decorate our homes in ways that we would never do any other time of year, with glittery, ostentatious things that light up and make noise.

And it's wonderful! I hope to someday have a house that I can decorate the way that Clark Griswold decorated his, with 25,000 twinkle lights. I think it's grand when people go to Target on December 26th and buy lights, signs and inflatable snow globes for 50 percent off, then pile it all into their yards the following year. Even the tacky stuff is great. The more, the better I say.

I do have a problem with the people who half-ass it with the lights though. You know who I mean. The ones who buy one of those light net things that you can put right over a tree, and then only put one on a big tree, leaving half of the tree covered and half uncovered. The ones who put a string of lights on one tiny hedge in front of their house and leave everything else bare.

If you're not going to go whole hog with the lights, I say, don't do the lights. You can still decorate with inflatable snowmen and wreaths, and your home will look very festive. But unless you're willing to put in some time and effort, don't bother with the lights. No one will fault you if you don't put any lights out, but it looks pretty stupid when you throw up one string and call it a day.

I'm not saying that everyone needs to put out 25,000 twinkle lights, but driving around town would be a lot more entertaining if they did.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely, undeniably right. Anyone who says otherwise should be dragged off and gaily festooned.

Anonymous said...

eh hem...I think you mean 25,000 imported, Italian twinkle lights.