christmas (tat) number four - the lights are on

Never got that one at all, they must be set up by some kind of thwarted pyromaniacs who like playing with lightbulbs. Presumably they then take their anorokas and sleeping bags onto the front law to admire their handiwork all through December with total disregard to the waste of electricity.

We usually decorate the Christmas tree and frame the window it is in front of with lights. That makes it look pretty (in my opinion) from both the inside and outside without overdoing it. We do have two reindeer that light up in front of the house on either side of our walkway. The only time that we turn them on, though, is when we go out in the evening and will not be back until after dark. This provides light for us to see in the driveway and into the house, so we do this instead of leaving the front porch light on. We do not leave them on if we are home, though, unless we are expecting company, and therefore use them in place of the front porch lights. I do not think we are going to bother this year, though, as the whole thing seems pointless. We will put the tree up for the little one (minus the lights in the window), but I am not sure how much other decorating we will do.

I have never decorated outside I have actually just finished putting mine up in here lol if I would not have done it today they would not have gone up at all as I really was not in the mood to put them up lol But they are up now even though I have a lot less now then what I use to have

I do think it can be overdone to the point of looking tacky. I do like the lights that people put up tho. I live in an apartment and on a very fixed income so my lights are limited and only on when my daughter and I are home at night for a couple of hours. We have some wealthy areas in our town that decorate their lawns and homes so beautifully. It is a lot but it is done in such good taste. When I was a kid my parents would load my brothers and I in the car and we'd drive around looking at the lights. I did the same with my kids when they were small. When you are a little kid, the lights are magically beautiful. I am guessing that is why some people do it. Still...it can be overdone. I think the ugliest of all is the inflatable ones. Driving my daughter to school, I see a lawn full of de-flated reindeer, santa and snowmen. It appeared they got shot down during the night.

I think many do it for the enjoyment of others as much as their own. I can think of no other reason. Karen

Hello, Judith. I wind a rope light around the handrail from the terrace into our garden, and criss cross 2 sets of lights across the ceiling of our terrace. It looks nice from inside and out, it doesn't take ages to put up or take down, and it doesn't send the electric bill into the stratosphere. Anything that takes more than 10 minutes to put up or take down is too much in my opinion.

hi blue bunny too much is just simply too much when it threatens to blow all the fuses people have gone way too far and I would never use a Santa or reindeers, a nice criche would be good to put Christ back into christmas.,a few string of colored lights is one thing but a whole wardrobe of sleighs and santas and reindeer is much much too much. ugh. Thats gorgeous music even for one like me who loves mozarts music. lol

Some people here go absolutely nuts over decorating their homes each year. This is only a fairly new habit here in Australia, which first became really popular on a grand scale around 12 to 15 years ago. I like to take my kids around at night time to see the best lit up street in my city each year (it is published in newspapers and online as the city council run a competition), but I would never do it myself. I think that it is a very big waste of electricity and money. Some people spend thousands of dollars trying to outdo their neighbours! I wonder how much this habit is contributing to the damage to the planet through coal fired power station emissions?

I have never decorated the outside the house for christmas. I do put up a real christmas tree every year. I do something alittle silly.... i let the kids decorate it the way they like it.....it seems they hang the ornaments all over every different direction and tinsel is everywhere and it looks messy. Since i have problems just leaving something messy and disorganized i quickly fix it when they go to sleep lol. Yes i know some people think thats silly to care how organized the tree decorations are but its something ive done since the kids where very young lol.