Getting Lit for Christmas -Without Alcohol.

Christmas is all over the place. Seriously, I can’t seem to get away from the reminders that one of the most commercialized holidays is rapidly approaching. In Orlando Christmas comes early because of the theme parks.  Literally overnight Christmas decorations are put up as they remove Halloween ones at the end of October. I've lived in and traveled to a lot of places, but this is the earliest I've ever seen, although the rest of the world seems to be catching up.

Christmas is also highly visible in my neighborhood.  This is my first year at my new address, and I've never seen Christmas displays quite like the ones lining the streets of my subdivision.  Now that strings of lights are cheap and energy efficient, everyone has a display that should be recorded and put online.

My favorite addition to these extravagant holiday displays it the appearance of inflatable lawn ornaments.  These have only really taken off in recent years and they fascinate me.  By night, they may be snowmen, snow globes, or even Santa in a helicopter with working propellers.  By day, they look like runny cracked eggs on everyone’s front lawn. Despite their odd appearance in the day, I want one.

These neighborhood displays started with a single house. Then there were two, then three, then four.  The count jumped each night following Thanksgiving.  Not only did more houses acquire lights, but already decorated houses gained more and more strands of them as well.  It seemed the neighbors were in competition with each other, and now the entire street is lit up like Vegas. 

Except our house.

Now, this lack of lights is not because I’m a scrooge, I do love putting up Christmas lights and have managed some truly spectacular displays in the past. This year, however, my funds have been pulled in other directions and lights weren't in the budget. Still, as I watched the growing displays around me I thought, okay maybe I need some lights.  A string across the house can’t hurt, right? So off I ventured off to a handful of stores to purchase my lights only to discover the best ones had already been pillaged from the shelves.  I’m sure they’re all hanging on the houses in my neighborhood. The lights and my competitive Christmas spirit will have to wait another year.