Decorating your house for Christmas is no longer just stringing up a single row of lights on the roof, and you'll need more than those cool "icicle" lights to please the public. (Of course, if you live anywhere near a house that synchronizes its lights to music, you might as well throw in the towel.) Nowadays, homeowners are jollier than ever, seemingly competing against each other to create the most dazzling home display.
Some towns do, in fact, hold competitions to reward these illuminated homes which are racking up their utility bills. People drive miles to see displays of electric Christmas cheer, and some houses take good advantage of the crowds, asking for donations for charities.
Doing it all for a worthy cause might also be good ammo against those Grinch-like neighbors who want to shut the whole thing down. Apparently, some folks aren't crazy about constant lines of cars idling down their streets, blocking their driveways, and making it hard for their many friends and admirers to visit them. (Or maybe they're just jealous....)
This year, if you and your family enjoy scoping out well-lit houses with countless lights and goodies, give thanks to the homeowners, if you see them. And if you're the Grinch who lives next door, lighten up, will ya?
Suggested Sites...
- Osborne Family Christmas Lights - this family's display was a victim of Grinch neighbors, but their display lives on at Walt Disney World.
- Tacky Light Tour - ginormous database of Christmas-decorated houses across America.
- Ugly Christmas Lights.com- they can't all be beautiful and tastefully decorated.
- Christmas Vacation Tribute Video - first featured is Clark Griswold's super-illuminated house, which may have inspired today's Christmas display enthusiasts.
- Wikipedia: Christmas Lights - the history of electric Christmas lights and other holiday decorations.
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