Some go overboard, there is no denying it. There have been rumors of people investing $500,000 or more on outdoor decorations (see pictures above and below). That seems just crazy to me. While I will confess to being a bit of a decorating addict, I wouldn't say I go overboard (but who actually admits that about themselves anyway)? I just love to decorate my house for holidays - not just Christmas, but for all of them (to my husband's chagrin). I have boxes and boxes of holiday decor for everything from Valentine's Day to 4th of July to Christmas. My favorite holidays (which coincidentally are also the ones for which I have the most decorations) are fall and Christmas. It just so happens that those are also the most time consuming (as I have WAY too much stuff, according to Curtis).
I prefer to celebrate the "season of fall", instead of celebrating Halloween and Thanksgiving individually, for several reasons. First of all, I don't care so much for the choices in Halloween decor (they are rather creepy and there is something strange about hanging dead bones and evil spirits across my house as decoration). Second, it makes it last longer if I can put everything up in September and leave it up until after Thanksgiving. With a 3 year old and an 18 month old, I can barely get my decorations changed out on a timely basis, so it's nice to be able to spread out each changing of the "fluff". Plus, don't you think we all rush a bit too much through the holidays these days? I feel like Christmas decorations are on the shelves in Walmart in September now... wasn't there a time when we used to wait to decorate until after the previous holiday had passed? Several of my neighbors decorated their houses for Christmas before November 1st this year and I know that when we were in Disney last week - they were already playing Christmas music and decked out in wreaths and holiday evergreen. It was beautiful but where is Thanksgiving? It seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle.
So, this year I am grateful for time. Time to reflect and appreciate the moment rather than always rushing through. I promise to appreciate each Christmas wreath, and the twinkle of all of the lights. I promise to enjoy the music and sing at the top of my lungs in my car to my favorite Christmas carols. And I promise to not forget the TRUE meaning of the season - the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.
Ah... but for now, I am wading through box after box of Christmas decorations and wondering when the house will finally be back in order. Falalalala...lala...la...la.
Note: the pictures included in this article are not my house, nor do I know the owners of this holiday spectacle. Rumor has it the owner is a nice man with too much money who loves to decorate his house in $500,000 worth of lights and sounds for the rest of us to enjoy.
1 comment:
Oh are those your neighbors? Is that your house?? Those are the houses I LOVE to drive around to look at - but I can't imagine winding up and storing all those strings of lights every year!
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