‘Tis the season…. a thing or two about lights.
On the days immediately following Thanksgiving, the shopping frenzy goes into overdrive. But even before that, there’s a run on Christmas light in so many different lengths and configurations. There’s big ones and little ones, single and multi-colored strings and of course, the ones with the “adjustable twinkle speed”.
You can get those that resemble Santa, or reindeer or a snowman. Usually it’s the husband who’s on the ladder or the roof stringing the lights and taking directions from his wife. The uninspired with limited creative ability just hang the lights up wherever just to get it done. The hardcore decorators go with the multi-million, multi-colored, alternately twinkling, strategically-placed, “we-spent-a-helluva-lot-more-money-than-you-did” light collection. And if that wasn’t enough, they throw in the “baby Jesus-in-the -manger” scene on one side of the yard and Santa Claus on sleigh being pulled by reluctant reindeer on the other. The rich and lazy have all that and more and top it off by hiring somebody else to do all the work for them.
It’s an annual event in certain neighborhoods where every house seems to try and outdo their neighbor’s decorations. Lines of cars clog the streets in the evening as people file through slowly, staring at the bright flashing lights and decorations, “oohing” and “aahing”, as if hypnotized. Others will pay to take a helicopter ride over the city to see the Christmas lights.
I’m not putting up a single Christmas light on the outside of my house. Bah! Humbug! No, really….it’s not like I don’t enjoy seeing the Christmas lights. I do. But here’s my take on this tradition. If I want to enjoy the lights, the manger and Santa with his reindeer, I think I’ll go across the street and see if the neighbors will let me decorate their front yard. That way, instead of only being able to enjoy my lights when I’m leaving or returning home, I can just look out the window and see it all right across the street, all evening long…and their electric bill goes up, not mine.