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In the 80s, when someone from the NE moved into our neighborhood, the first Christmas, they would inevitably do very bright decorations, meaning, lots of colored lights, things like big candles (red/yellow), huge lit candy canes . . . etc. Or big blue lights all over everything . . . Their houses stood out like sore thumbs and so by the next year, they would have toned it down - meaning - white lights (no colored lights) and very few outdoor displays.
Ah, yes...in the 80's my new boss moved to Charlotte from Pittsburgh. His new neighborhood was going all white twinkle lights. In particular, he had a women on the street who felt it was her duty to inform all of the "tasteful-white-twinkle-light" rule. So...first weekend she went out of town, my boss and some friends went over and decorated her home with big, gaudy, colorful lights! All in good fun! (It wasn't you, was it Ani? LOL!)
My next door neighbor spent 3 days decorating his house. I love it!
What I would really like on my roof is a Santa sleigh + reindeer!
Im assuming you use a digital camera does it allow you to change the settings and if so what did you use if you dont me asking?
My camera has an ISO setting for low light conditions but it blurs the lights
Great photo and um so I am on topic lol
It an example of traditional displays which seem to be in the in thing
Ah, yes...in the 80's my new boss moved to Charlotte from Pittsburgh. His new neighborhood was going all white twinkle lights. In particular, he had a women on the street who felt it was her duty to inform all of the "tasteful-white-twinkle-light" rule. So...first weekend she went out of town, my boss and some friends went over and decorated her home with big, gaudy, colorful lights! All in good fun! (It wasn't you, was it Ani? LOL!)
All in moderation. Maybe the flamingos can go to the back yard during Christmas. A house in my block has so many lights on the yard and windows that it looks like a night club.
Are you sure it isn't????
Why don't you sneak over and unplug all the extension cords!!!! (Did I really say that????)
Take a picture!!!! We wanna see it in all its gaudy glory!!!!
Hopefully, when they get their electric bill, it will discourage them next year.
And send them a trial subscription to Southern Living . . . maybe they will get the message.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
Well, I know LLN wrote that . . . but the truth is . . . there has traditionally been a big difference in how people use lights here as opposed to many other areas of the country. In the Midwest, it was all colored lights and very few houses w/ only white lights. I also noticed that the NJ and PA branches of my family - their neighborhoods were very brightly decorated - lots of outdoor displays and colored lights.
In the 80s, when someone from the NE moved into our neighborhood, the first Christmas, they would inevitably do very bright decorations, meaning, lots of colored lights, things like big candles (red/yellow), huge lit candy canes . . . etc. Or big blue lights all over everything . . . Their houses stood out like sore thumbs and so by the next year, they would have toned it down - meaning - white lights (no colored lights) and very few outdoor displays. So truthfully, all the neighbors (including other newcomers who had "learned" the style of the neighborhood themselves) would chuckle (not in a mean spirited way) - that you could drive thru/ the neighborhood and see who the new Yankees were who had moved since the previous Christmas. The neighborhood was very hilly, so you could see houses all over, and the white lights looked so pretty at nite - but the colored lights (or all blue or all red lights) looked kinda odd.
Most neighborhoods now . . . the colored lights are very popular. My DS says that the large bulbs are retro looking and he loves the colored lights w/ big bulbs. I still like the tiny white twinkling lights, but I do have to agree w/ him - the colored lights are very festive and show up so well when lining a roof top of a house, for ex.
I think the main thing is to have fun - especially if you have kids. And the personality of your neighborhood will dictate some of that.
The South Jersey/Philly thing pretty much breaks down this way, White lights for a colonial theme which usually means that Williamsburg style is incorporated. Colored lights for Victorian, or white lights with a ton of bead strings placed to also shine from the lights. People doing colonial & Victorian themes almost always have the candles in the windows. There are lots of variations of both. More modern displays usually include the multicolored lights. Then there's the occasional circus of lights, animated figure, inflatables, etc., etc.
I love them all, even the gaudy, lighted circuses. It's lots of fun at Christmas time to drive around with your friends &/or family to look at the lights.
Now in some towns a few strands of white lights are left up year-round & are lit at night, year round. It's really very pretty to be driving somewhere in summertime & see them. They are tastefully placed, all other Christmassy decorations long gone, sometime they will have a fairy statue near by. They are meant to be fairy lights.
I think we will hold off on decorating our first house for the first time until next year, as we will be moving in around the holidays and don't want to make things more complicated than they already are by worrying about decorations. But, we will be driving up and down our street in the coming weeks to get a sense of how our neighbors like to decorate.
To each thier own, since no one would see it, I don't decorate.
Wulf, you know you gotta have a tree. Even a little Charlie Brown tree. Or a wreath on the door. You just gotta do it so you will get in the holiday spirit.
One year, I was alone, and didn't do a thing. My neighbors were up in arms, LOL. One of them brought over an old artificial tree for me and said - at least put some lights on it so they show through the windows and you don't look like Scrooge lives here!!!! So I did. Lights only. I was coming back to NC for Christmas so was feeling like - aw, heck - why bother. I also got a wreath and put it on the front door. It did lift my spirits to at least do something nominal for the season.
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