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I would never think to question why or why not someone puts up Christmas decorations. Nor do I view large displays as extreme amounts of money spent at one time. I know with us we've added to each year, but very little, and now several years later we have a lot of lights, but we only purchased one box this year.
If people resent something as petty as holiday decorations how harshly do they judge everything else? Seems like an overwhelming and consuming task.
I cannot fathom resenting someone over NOT decorating, though I could see it if you had "Griswold" neighbors who had obnoxious displays that caused a big traffic jam or lots of "talk"--though even then, if they were sincere about it, it's hard to really be ticked.
As for NOT decorating--good heavens, why would someone feel that they had a right to pressure their neighbor into decorating? Lots of people who will be out of town for Christmas don't put up the decor because then when they're gone and it's not lit, it calls attention to the fact that they aren't home. Or, they just don't want to go through the trouble. Lots of people just plain don't decorate outside, to begin with!
When I was growing up here 40 years ago, "natives" rarely did all-out Christmas decorating: generally greenery, maybe some red bows, and a spotlight shining on the wreath on the door were the way "Southerners" decorated at the time. (Actually long-timers will remember when Cameron Village had colored lights in their trees ONLY at Christmas, and it was a "family tradition" to ride out to Cam Vill to look at all the colored lights, just because few people used colored ones--this was true up to the early 70s). If you saw a house with strings of colored lights on the gutters, you could be fairly sure it was an "IBM transplant" . However, this is one "Northern" tradition that has clearly taken hold all over, and frankly, who cares one way or the other? Some houses do just white lights, some put candles in the window, some use colored lights, some use lawn sculptures, some keep to religious icons, some use Santa and reindeer...it's one of the things that makes Christmas interesting. Though I do find those displays that have Santa "kneeling" before the baby Jesus to be a bit much...but I don't have to look if I am bothered by it.
(Actually long-timers will remember when Cameron Village had colored lights in their trees ONLY at Christmas, and it was a "family tradition" to ride out to Cam Vill to look at all the colored lights, just because few people used colored ones--this was true up to the early 70s).
I remember the Cameron Village lights quite well. Did you ever drive out to see the Cross house years ago (near Enloe HS on New Bern Ave. to see the his Christmas displays? I always thought his display was in the best taste of any I ever saw.
I found this old pic of the Cameron Village Christmas lights...not sure when it's from, but it was pre-1980s because it was taken from the brick bridge that used to cross Daniels St., when Cameron Village had upper-level parking decks. So as unremarkable as it looks now (because most shopping centers have lights in their trees year-round, now), seeing this was a BIG DEAL back then!
Yes, people who don't decorate for Christmas bug the heck out of me! How DARE they???
I march for hours in front of those unadorned homes, and when they don't cave in, I decorate them myself with rolls of toilet paper I buy from Sam's Club. I usually go through two or three large containers of Scott tissue every season. After it rains, it sort of looks like snow. So THEN they have decorations, now, don't they?
If they still have the audacity not to decorate with white lights, I go in the middle of the night and install in their yards any lights I can find from my shopping exploits at Dollar Tree. I also paste Santa Claus cutouts on their front doors and hang stars from their trees. Each year, I spend several hundred dollars on Christmas decorations at Dollar Tree for this very reason.
Don't they know the REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS???!!!!
It takes a lot of time, but it's worth it. It gives me more time to complain, protest, and gossip about teachers who DARE think they can supplement their meager incomes by working at places I don't approve of, such as Hooters.
I tell you, a Gladys's work is never done (Gladys, the nosy neighbor on Bewitched, is our heroine).
Last edited by lovebrentwood; 11-28-2010 at 11:19 AM..
In the past we went to town with inside and outside lights and decorations but now I don't mess with this much and think it is kinda extravagent in this messy economy. I'd rather take the money for decorations and electricity and give it to a food bank or buy toys for tots. Still, our younger kids enjoy looking at Christmas Lights and comment on why we don't have much of a display. Wondering if we are odd man out around here and grumbled about behind our backs.
I was shocked to see Halloween Lights on the shrubs. Don't you think that is a bit too much?
Don't ya just hate it when you ask a SIMPLE question and people get their "panties in a wad" over it?!!
I am going to suggest that no kudzu meant to ask if anyone felt "annoyed" by another neighbor's lack of decorations and didn't really mean "resent".
And I do think most of the posters gave you an accurate answer when they said they don't really care. I'll add to that by saying that I used to go overboard when my kids were younger as they seemed to enjoy it most. However, as they have gotten older and I have gotten more busy, I don't decorate as much as I used to. Some of my neighbors go to the extreme and I enjoy seeing it but I don't feel it necessary to go to that extreme anymore and since I don't enjoy all that extra work, I get by with the minimum!
What I find silly are those posters that get to the point of being RUDE by their comments and JUDGING someone who asked a question. DOM did suggest that some are getting "testy"!
Can't we all learn to play together?!!
Or, as NRG suggested...maybe you can spit out that vinegar!
I too like the "Griswold" approach. The more light the better IMHO.
Didn't g105 used to do a "Tacky Tinsel Tour" years back where they actually took a bus around Raleigh to view to most "overdone" houses? Whatever happened to that?
I love seeing all the hard work people put into their outdoor Christmas decorations! I appreciate and respect all their hard work. That said, I don't mind or care one bit if someone chooses not to. It's never crossed my mind to care about that.
I don't resent anyone who doesn't decorate, it's their choice how they spend their time and money, none of my business.
What I do resent is people who decorate for a holiday and never take the decorations down for months after the holiday, especially Christmas. People in MA would leave their Xmas decor up until spring and it was just depressing. I hope that doesn't happen here. I'm still seeing a few Halloween decorations around my neighborhood.
I found this old pic of the Cameron Village Christmas lights...not sure when it's from, but it was pre-1980s because it was taken from the brick bridge that used to cross Daniels St., when Cameron Village had upper-level parking decks. So as unremarkable as it looks now (because most shopping centers have lights in their trees year-round, now), seeing this was a BIG DEAL back then!
Yep....those are the ones. Thanks for the old photo
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. However, this is one "Northern" tradition that has clearly taken hold all over, and frankly, who cares one way or the other? Some houses do just white lights, some put candles in the window, some use colored lights, some use lawn sculptures, some keep to religious icons, some use Santa and reindeer...it's one of the things that makes Christmas interesting. Though I do find those displays that have Santa "kneeling" before the baby Jesus to be a bit much...but I don't have to look if I am bothered by it.
