Colossal disappointment. That's my reaction to the dismal showing this weekend on the Christmas decorating front. I was expecting an orgy of lights and plastic. Instead? An anemic showing of random wreaths, some bows, that's about it. A handful of houses went all out with the lights. But in every single case it was only white "icicle" lights, which leads me to believe it must have been a doorbuster special at WalMart on Friday. One house was obviously unclear on the concept of "icicles" and had stretched them out like fish nets across the front of the house, making it look like a trussed up electric ham. Points for subtlety go to the house that hung a huge electric cross from their personal flagpole.
The one bright spot, as always, was Jim. The Thanksgiving turkey was long gone by the time we returned on Friday. The last time I saw him he had been surrounded by giant candy canes and was staring forlornly out from his peppermint jail. Snowmen now hang from the cast iron turtles in the trees. Not much movement on the Parisian theme, but the massive pile of deflated plastic on the roof has been revealed to be a ginormous inflatable carousel. Twenty feet square and 15 feet high, it features inflatable elves riding inflatable reindeer, all rotating silently to the whir of the air compressor. He really needs to consider some music. The lights have started to go up, and several huge boxes labeled "Christmas" await unpacking in the driveway. I have a feeling he's just getting started.
The biggest surprise came next door. We came home a while ago to discover the Wicked Witch had hung colored lights all over her shrubs.
I'm not buying it - I think it's some sort of trap.
