Christmas Decorating Obsession

December 18, 2006 8:00 PM

Across America there are those who spend a significant amount of resources – dollars, time and energy consumption – to erect Christmas displays that attract hoards of drive-by visitors during the holiday season. In some places there are community websites dedicated to the pursuit of providing coordinated Christmas displays of lights and music in neighborhoods. PlanetChristmas is “THE place to learn from others how to create great Christmas displays for you and your community.” Show off your Christmas display.
posted by ericb (33 comments total)

What I like are homeowners that combine elaborate manger scenes featuring Mary, Jesus, Joseph and the wise men, with just-as-elaborate displays of Santa and his elves.
posted by jayder at 8:04 PM on December 18, 2006 [1 favorite]

I think the more giant inflatable Xmas decorations you have, the merrier your holiday will be.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 8:21 PM on December 18, 2006

Austin's 37th Street Lights rock.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:22 PM on December 18, 2006

It would be "hordes", wouldn't it?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:25 PM on December 18, 2006

This is all Clark Griswold's fault.
posted by ColdChef at 8:30 PM on December 18, 2006 [1 favorite]

. . . Because nothing else says "blessed are the meek' like a display of gaudy lights, stables full of idols, and a cacophany of (w)horrid ritual music.

After all, I'm sure that Jesus himself was a big fan of the overwrought wheedlings of the Transiberian orchestra, aimed directly at nonbelievers to be impressed at the profane consumptive qualities of the 'in-crowd'.
posted by isopraxis at 8:49 PM on December 18, 2006

Time to bring out last year's Christmas meme of extreme lighting to the tune of Wizards of Winter.

Off topic...if anyone hasn't seen the animated online Jacquie Lawson Christmas cards, they are really lovely (other of her holiday/celebration cards too).
posted by nickyskye at 8:49 PM on December 18, 2006

How much juice does the nation suck just to fuel all those lights, and how much carbon dioxide is released?

I guess it helps fight seasonal affective disorder.
posted by porpoise at 9:07 PM on December 18, 2006

We still have the Halloween lights and decorations up. I put a santa hat on whats left of the pumpkin.
posted by hal9k at 9:10 PM on December 18, 2006 [2 favorites]

MnStories has this video of obsessively -- and musically -- coordinated Christmas lights.
posted by Astro Zombie at 9:28 PM on December 18, 2006

Baltimore's 34th Street.
posted by zoinks at 9:36 PM on December 18, 2006

Of all the obsessive, excessive, entirely unnecessary things that North Americans do just because we can, Christmas displays are my favourite.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:31 PM on December 18, 2006 [1 favorite]

We were visiting family a few weeks ago and my brother-in-law spent the whole visit setting up their Christmas display with a decided lack of holiday cheer. Watching him spend the whole day stomping around out in the cold while swearing and bitching about the damn animated reindeer and inflatable snowglobe was highly entertaining. We have a wreath on our door, which was hung without incident or electricity.
posted by Biblio at 11:55 PM on December 18, 2006

In an AskMe discussion about shower habits not too long ago, a member lectured us on the geopolitical consequences of luxurious hot showers. "The price of your hot showers is that someone, somewhere is getting tortured. It's that simple." [That's a rough paraphrase of the member's comment, which was deleted].

I hate to think of the funk that member goes into when he sees all these gaudy, lavishly lit Christmas displays.
posted by jayder at 12:04 AM on December 19, 2006

I hate to think of the funk that member goes into when he sees all these gaudy, lavishly lit Christmas displays.

Best not to think.

of it.
posted by pompomtom at 1:23 AM on December 19, 2006

I'm sure someone who feels that way about showers often finds himself in quite a funk.
posted by Pollomacho at 1:31 AM on December 19, 2006

Few things are as tacky and generally not-getting-your-own-religion as christmas "displays".
posted by signal at 4:46 AM on December 19, 2006

For most of the people I know, Christmas is not a religious celebration.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:03 AM on December 19, 2006

I never think about the resources wasted or the tastelessness of combining religion with materialism, but nonetheless I am getting more Grinchy with every passing year.

Christmas (and every other holiday) has changed so much since I was a small child. What used to be an occasional house decorated with a few big lights (I always loved the all blue strands of lights myself) morphed into the delicate use of multiple strands of tiny fairy lights which morphed into the massive, gaudy excess which you find everywhere now. WalMart sells 100 lights for 3.99 so why not get 10 strands. And a light-up angel. And a blow-up Santa Clause. And a plastic manger scene. And a. And a. And before you know it, you too can have a house that looks like a junk yard.

I guess I'm over it. I'm over the Christmas trees elaborately decorated with thousands of cheap ornaments from China. I don't feel the need to buy a sweater with sequins and beads depicting Santa and his jolly elves laboring away in the toy shop. I try hard not to condemn the parents that no longer just buy a single impressive present and a few stocking stuffers for their children but now amass such a mountain of goodies that it becomes a chore for the offspring to unwrap and always leaves them feeling aggrieved somehow. For the last 10 years my Christmases have been growing smaller and less elaborate and now all I can do is snort in disbelief as I see the Christmas door mats for sell. But you go ahead. Really. Run your credit cards up and have yourself a Merry Big Christmas!
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:46 AM on December 19, 2006

It would be "hordes", wouldn't it?

Yes. ;-)
posted by ericb at 7:12 AM on December 19, 2006

*runs up credit cards* I can't help it! Giving is fun! ipods for everyone!
posted by Hildegarde at 7:52 AM on December 19, 2006

Where are the Hanukkah and Kwanzaa displays? (Why not Kwanzaa in Hampden!) And did you know today is Oatmeal Muffin Day?
posted by davy at 8:47 AM on December 19, 2006

Local Popeye's chicken magnate Al Copeland (scroll to end) has one of the largest, tackiest displays ever and the legal trouble with his neighbors to go with it. Years ago he lost one round against the neighbor who complained about the traffic, and in an odd decision he was told he could keep the religious icons but the giant Santa had to go. Within a week he had a troop of 16-foot angels.

This year he was supposed to move his display to Lafreniere Park, but the park is being used to stage Katrina debris, so Copeland decorated the Metairie house he isn't living in so his fans would know where to find the display. Then he took out a two page ad in last Sunday's newspaper explaining where to find them and what was going on and deeply, deeply I tell you, apologizing for the inconvenience and confusion. And retelling the story of the earlier lawsuit, which he eventually won, against his "grinch" neighbor who now is on board and even flipped the switch to turn the lights on this year *wipes tear*.

Because nothing says "Christmas" like sitting in traffic for two hours to see Al Copeland's lights; just ask him. And if you're really lucky you can bask in the glow of his ego, so much more brilliant than any man-made energy source.
posted by localroger at 8:56 AM on December 19, 2006

I like Christmas lights, but only if they are all white and tiny LED-style. My girlfriend prefers multi-colored lights, the bigger the better. It's not the sort of thing that will cause a divorce all by itself, but it is the sort of thing that could serve as a delightful screaming tipping point one day years down the line.
posted by Kwine at 9:34 AM on December 19, 2006

There's not much that's sadder than a deflated Santa. Most every day now, I hear my four-year-old saying, "Is Joe's Santa lying down because he's tired?" A little more wasted electricity, and she wouldn't have to deal with these imponderables.

Maybe I should start a Blow Up Joe's Santa fund.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 9:57 AM on December 19, 2006

So, wait.
Let me get this straight.

We're losing the War on Drugs, the War on Terror, the War on on Poverty AND the War on Christmas?

damn.

Maybe we should declare War on the Separation of Church and State, there's a war we can win.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/18/nyregion/18kearny.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
(login required for NYT article)
posted by mer2113 at 10:03 AM on December 19, 2006

i have a usb snowman that changes colors niceeeeeeee
posted by baker dave at 11:33 AM on December 19, 2006

I think the more giant inflatable Xmas decorations you have, the merrier your holiday will be.

Then my holiday will be exactly one eight-foot inflatable snowman's worth of merry.
posted by davejay at 12:34 PM on December 19, 2006

Davy, this is in Parkville - not Hampden, but not far! (Not my picture, just stumbled across it.)
posted by zoinks at 2:34 PM on December 19, 2006

It all begins simply and tastefully enough with Christmas lights. Then it gets in your blood. You wake up one morning and your house looks like the Golden Nugget casino.

I love that quote.
posted by deborah at 3:00 PM on December 19, 2006

My favorite local Christmas display is the Uniting Church that has a massive bow on its roof, as though it's some kind of present, and Santas everywhere. From the road, I am yet to spot a nativity scene.

Because at this time of the year, I think that the symbols of rampant materialism will sure draw the crowds to Mass.
posted by chronic sublime at 4:00 PM on December 19, 2006

I took my family to a surprise look at the Lindsay Lights in Toronto tonight. Just awesome.
posted by Frasermoo at 6:56 PM on December 19, 2006

In some cases the grinch wins. ;)

In other parts of the state large displays of christmas lights continue on.

We sure love our Christmas lights, but not as much as we love our motorcycles. (And those are probably quite a bit more wasteful of resources than the Christmas lights!)
posted by wierdo at 12:52 AM on December 21, 2006