Cape Karen
It's Christmas Eve and here in the valley, below the Great Smoky Mountains, all is quiet, all is bright. Our town puts up Christmas lights, in the multi-millions, for the tourists to come and enjoy during what they call "Winterfest." Our electric bill doubles the minute the lights are turned on in November, and stays real high until they are turned off, finally, in April.
Regardless of how warm it might be, or how hard we try to keep our electric bills low, we always pay more because of these * #*+# lights. Of course, when asked, the electric company swears we aren't being 'surcharged' for them ~ but we know better. The crazy thing is, that after the holidays, from January 2nd to April 2nd, nary a tourist is here to see them in all their tacky glory, anyway!
You would think, in this day and age of 'energy conservation' that they might reduce the amount of time the lights are kept on and flashing ~ and just have them on during weekends, or something? But, nooooo. . .we are subjected to leaping reindeer, and 'cutsie' nursery rhyme characters in neon, all over town, for almost 6 months of the year. What a wicked waste of electricty!
I've thought about starting a "ban the lights" petition," but I don't think anyone around here cares, or even realizes, that they are paying more because of them; actually, I think the native folks here probably love these lights. This damn Yankee just happens to think they are horrid, and I'd probably be banned back to Boston if I tried.
Driving home last night, I got downright nauseous watching them blinking and flashing all around me.
Can I be the only one who feels this way? Am I turning into an old, bah-humbug Scrooge in my golden years? They remind me of the Christmas television ad for Capitol One - you know, the one where those guys had to find new jobs. . . .(" what's in your wallet?")
We used to take the kids up to the LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro, MA every Christmas to see their light display - but, their lights were on trees for the most part~ not hanging off of telephone poles, and they didn't stay on for 6 months of the year either. Besides, it was cold there in December and the lights created a feeling of warmth and a mood of holiday festivity. Their lights were pretty, not garish, and there was nice Christmas music being piped-out into the area while we walked around drinking our hot chocolate and enjoying the evening.
The light display here just doesn't cut it somehow - something is wrong with this picture. These lights are like the cheap, aluminum fake tree my father used to make me put up in his house each season, after we had moved out and he lived alone. 
It was kept in a box in the cellar all year, and I'd have to drag it upstairs and spend an hour sticking the "branches" into the factory-drilled holes in the "trunk." How gross was that!? ( And, I see now that they are coming back into vogue - o' gag! Why would anyone want a metal Christmas tree?) I'd rather go pick a twig off a pine tree and decorate it.
My idea of a 'tasteful' Christmas display can be seen each year on Nantucket Island. Now, there's a nice annual Christmas walk.
Walking around here, well. . . you're apt to get dizzy and fall over.
I think I'll just stay indoors until they turn those damn lights off . . .
. . . Merry Christmas to all ~ and to all ~ NO MORE LIGHTS!
Posted by Karen at December 24, 2005 5:20 PM