The spring clothing lines are out in the stores, we haven’t had a significant storm in a few weeks, the temperatures have been relatively balmy, yet Baristaville is still festooned with forlorn holiday decorations.
Like flotsam and jetsam in the melting snow, inflated Santa Elmos, 6-foot snow globes, fallen reindeer, a creche here and there, window and door wreaths and Christmas trees frozen inside plow banks like prehistoric wooly mammoths in the La Brea Tar Pitts, clog the mid-February landscape.
While I love the timely festive look as much as the next person, and adore lights in the winter darkness through January, there comes a time when the holiday decorations police have to start handing out violations.
We’ve determined that we can’t decide what colors our neighbors paint their houses, and clearly we can’t take their outdated decorations down for them either, but maybe a bit of web-based peer pressure can encourage folks to clean up their yards and de-wreath their windows. Am I alone in my campaign? Take our poll and weigh in on.
Photo by Joy Yagid
Is that one of Joey D’s Verona deer?
With the snow still on the ground I’m assuming that the auto switch is activating the gaily lit trees I come across at night. I still enjoy the look but I’m waiting patiently for the big melt so I can get the lights off my shrubs. The yellowing wreaths on homes are often difficult to remove due to placement and ice. So give your neighbors a break and either ignor or enjoy.
I think by mid-February, it’s time to take them down (if you are able). Think Spring!
I agree, Ms. Martta! Enough already!
I would think considering all the snow, ice and frigid temperatures we have had since after the Christmas stormall the decorations are frozen under mounds of snow and ice the decorations police could give it a rest until the area is able to thaw out and people are able to safely take down their notifications.
On the way to drop the little prof off at school on one pretty street in the borough of UPPER Montclair, we spotted 9 Christmas trees out waiting to be picked up. 3 have been there for a while, but 6 were brand new.
Because for some, Christmas only ends when cupid shows up.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Prof: For some, Christmas ends when the St. Paddy’s Day leprechauns show up!
And for some, Christmas never came. Take down the HOLIDAY lights already.
I have to climb out onto the roof to remove a wreath, and stand in waist deep snow to get the garlands out of the window boxes. The roof has been too icy to risk death. So we look indolent, dilatory, Appalachian. Maybe this weekend; maybe April….it’s still better than asbestos siding.
Bebop..Christmas did indeed come. Did Santa not bring you the toys that you wanted? That’s what happens when you’re a bad boy, or a general nudnik. I think that we’ve all had our fill of the Christmas vs holiday debate, at least until next year.
Please for the love of all things holy, remove your holiday decor! There is nothing so depressing as expired reindeer, wreaths and colored lights. We are all trying very hard to channel spring right now – you decoration-slackers are creating some really bad seasonal karma.
Not everybody can afford to hire people to put Christmas decorations up or take them down. Some people have to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet, and so those colored lights strung on the windows have to stay up a little longer. Have a little respect and patience for the less fortunate among us.
As soon as I can de-ice my pine garland and white lights from the facade of my house, I will gladly take them down. Today might be the day!