Holiday yard decorations

What's everyone's opinion on the tons of multicolored flashing lights, inflatable characters, reindeer, sleds, etc. that make their appearance at this time of year?

I personally think a few strategically placed strands of white lights is nice (especially in trees), but everything else just looks gaudy and tacky to me. And it seems like it would cost so much money and effort to do it!

Thoughts?

Original Post by bagga:

I am tempted to become the hoods Bagga the Ripper and stalk the night with a wicked fixed blade disemboweling santa's, elves, the entire snow globe skating troop, field dress those effing deer leaving vinyl remnants in my wake and fear in the hearts of inflatable snowmen everywhere....muhahahahahah!

 At least leave some compensation (some of those decs are pricey).

I would really love it if someone could do this in our neighborhood - just once.    

slaughtered snowmen

it's snowing right now

consider it done

I have to say I really have to work at getting into the spirit every year, but I do enjoy looking at artistically done lights.  There's a guy in my town that goes absolutely nuts each year with literally hundreds of thousands of lights.  He has a web site for it even:

http://www.casadelpomba.com/Christmas/Christm as%202007/Christmas_2007.htm

Ha ha, I love Calvin.

 

Love it!!!  I really appreciate the time and effort these people put into decorating their houses.  Every Christmas Eve my family goes out to see all of the beautiful lights and decorations : )

In general, I think Christmas is a wretched time of year... it's dark 16 hours a day, it's frigid, but not usually pretty and snowy yet, I'm constantly being bombarded by crappy christmas music, fatty "treats" and consumerism...the lights are the only nice part.

When it's so frickin' dark all the time, the lights cheer me up.  I don't care if they are fugly, they're a break from the gloom and I'm grateful.

In fact, this year my parents are visiting ME, instead of the other way around, so my husband and I bought and put up lights for the first time this year.  We went with a few strands each of white and blue lights.  It's wonderful to come home to some color, since I never even get to see the light of day.

Original Post by tciherr:

Hello, my name is Terri and I am a Christmas light display junkie. 

My husband, son and I spent all day on Friday and Saturday putting up Christmas lights and yard decorations.  We even have a Santa in a helicopter on the roof. 

All decorations are old school, no inflatables.  We usually buy one new decoration a year.  This year it is a see-saw.  Santa on one side and three reindeer on the other.  Must admit, the house looks great.  We probably wouldn't go so "over the top" if our son wasn't so young.  Merry Christmas!

 this is what I am talking about.. awesome..

I have to largely agree with the original poster. I think that some nice strings of lights, either a solid colour or white and well placed, looks nice. But... anything much beyond that and it's just tacky looking. And inflatables are even worse than big gaudy light displays.

That said, to each their own. It's not my electricity bill, it's not my house, it's not my money. If someone wishes to do that with their home and money, if it makes them happy? Then it doesn't matter what I think.

I saw one person hanging their lights in early November. As in, the first week. >_< Oh dear.

I like christmas lights and decorations... if we had a house I'd decorate it for sure. All I can do here is stick a string of lights in the front window because we don't HAVE an 'outside space.' I wouldn't want inflatable decorations though. They're cute enough at night, but they make the yard look like a Christmas Massacre during the daytime when they deflate themselves! :P (there's a house around the corner that adds a new giant inflatable christmas decoration every year - they're up to about ten now.

I like lights - white, coloured or multicoloured.  I especially love icicle lights.  I'm not a huge fan of the lawn decorations - though some of the wire reindeer are kind of cute.

One of the houses across the street from my parents' house goes crazy overboard - front and back.  I have to admit I'm curious what that does to their electricity bill since they seem to leave them on for at least six hours a night.  For anyone who's into the light everything in sight then add more stuff and light it up to, what does that do to your electricity bills?  I'm not criticizing; I'm genuinely curious.

I saw my first Hanukkah house the other day and it was beautiful.  All done in blue white and gold.  The stars of David were done in white hanging strands of lights with blue Stars.  It was awesome.

I don't mind the decorations, regardless of the color but I don't like the inflatables either.  Also when the stuff gets old and mangy, throw it away would ya?!

I was just wondering the other day.. where are all the inflatable Jesus's?

While I personally like just the white lights on my house, I absolutely love seeing the crazy, overboard decorations - the more the merrier!  I think the giant inflatables are tacky as all-get-out, but the people who have them must have tons of holiday spirit and my kids think they are completely mind-blowing.  lol

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

I was just wondering the other day.. where are all the inflatable Jesus's?

 I've seen several inflatable nativities this year.

Edit: specifically this Walmart atrocity  http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?pro duct_id=6371167

Original Post by thmheh:

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

I was just wondering the other day.. where are all the inflatable Jesus's?

 I've seen several inflatable nativities this year.

Edit: specifically this Walmart atrocity  http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?pro duct_id=6371167

 Yea, I've seen the Nativities.. but no Jesus!  I just know it won't be long until there's a giant Jesus - arms wide open - with a 'Jesus is the reason for the season sign.  Inflatable Jesus.. cracks me up.. almost like dashboard Jesus.

People have a right to do whatever they want on their own property. If it's pretty I'll admire it and if it's tacky I'll have a laugh.

I remember an episode of Rosanne where the president of the block association requested that Dan and Rosanne only use decorations that she approved, so they deliberatly went out of their way to find the tackiest ugliest Christmas decorations they could get, just to piss her off. It was funny.

^ I heart Roseanne

Original Post by thmheh:

 I've seen several inflatable nativities this year.

Edit: specifically this Walmart atrocity  http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?pro duct_id=6371167

 Ooh ooh!

*goes to buy Walmart atrocity*

Original Post by bagga:

slaughtered snowmen

it's snowing right now

consider it done

 i don't believe you.

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

Original Post by thmheh:

Original Post by jenniferthepennifer:

I was just wondering the other day.. where are all the inflatable Jesus's?

 I've seen several inflatable nativities this year.

Edit: specifically this Walmart atrocity  http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?pro duct_id=6371167

 Yea, I've seen the Nativities.. but no Jesus!  I just know it won't be long until there's a giant Jesus - arms wide open - with a 'Jesus is the reason for the season sign.  Inflatable Jesus.. cracks me up.. almost like dashboard Jesus.

 Your wish is granted: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GZDqOm1H70

http://growingwhereimplanted.blogspot.com/200 8/08/inflatable-jesus.html

LMAO thmheh!!!  That second one is HUGE!  Can you imagine it in someone's yard? thanks!