Take down your damned Christmas decorations! (Day 1)
Every neighborhood has one, occasionally more than one. We have one too.
Yes, it's the neighbor who won't take down his Christmas lights. Here it is, mid-January, and he hasn't taken down his lights and lawn decorations yet (and they aren't nearly as attractive as the ones pictured above--rather, they are quite tacky). It wouldn't be so bad if it was just laziness and if he left them turned off, but every night this guy turns the lights on full blast, as if it were December 23. Last year, it was well into February before this guy finally took his decorations down. This year, I have a blog, and I plan on keeping a record. I want to see if he matches or exceeds last year's record.
This guy should have taken his lights down last weekend, but I'll cut him some slack. Instead of making today Day #5, I'll make today Day #1 of the countdown: Take your damned lights down!
Now!
I don't think leaving decorations up is so bad. Then again I still have my (modest) lights up.
ReplyDeleteThey're not up from last year. They're up for this year.
ReplyDeleteIf the trend of retailers says anything, then preparation for Christmas 2006 should be happening about right now.
I plead guilty. Mine are still up. I like the lights in January because it gets so dark so early. It's nice to look at. I took the Christmas-related stuff down (trees, etc), but the icicle lights are still on the house.
ReplyDeletePictures! We demand evidence!
ReplyDelete"My first thought, what a curmudgeon you are!"
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Let's see. I take my 'nym from a cranky arrogant computer from an obscure British SF series, and you're only now realizing that I'm a curmudgeon?
I am reminded by Orac's comment of something I read in "How to Want What You Have" by psychologist Timothy Miller. He mentions a person who wakes up every morning and tells himself, while looking out the window, how much he hates the color his neighbor chose to paint his house. It's a recipe for unhappiness. I honestly don't know which of my neighbors still have lights up, and I don't care. Life's too short for such worries.
ReplyDeleteWe Jews miraculously solved that problem centuries ago. Eight nights and back to the attic until next year. How about a gnetle hint to your community newspaper, like asking when the Christmas Decorations In July Contest will be held this year. Nobrainer's comment on the start of the next Christmas holiday season is not as far fetched as one would think. The Radio City Music Hall has their annual Christmas show, and advertising for ticket sales starts around the end of February.
ReplyDeleteTo the above commenter, man, some visitors to this blog take things way too seriously! This is not just in reference to the silly lights still up observation, but to many silly posts in general.
ReplyDeleteYikes. RELAX!!
I meant the John P comment, the probe slipped one in before mine. sorry.
ReplyDeleteMy family put up the Decemberween tree (no exterior lights) on December 23, and took it all down on the 28th. And we actually had a better Decemberween this year than usual.
ReplyDeleteWell, we unplugged the lights after the New Year. When there was a break in the rain... our modest lighst were taken down.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter wants us to put up the Christmas lights on for next Halloween with a sign saying "Happy Christmahanakwanzaa" (I don't know if I spelled that right, I'm kind of going by what she says very fast!).
Unlike in the US, in Europe it is the tradition to put up Christmas decorations a day or two before Christmas Day (rather than the day after Thanksgiving) and to take them down on Twelfth Night (Epiphany).
ReplyDeleteOf course in the US, they have to come down on 12/26 to make way for the Valentine's Day decorations...