I don't do it because my beloved has ruled it out as a possibility...*wry grin* I did notice today that someone in a nearby street already has their lawn and house decorated. WHAT THE? OCTOBER????

Just about every house in our street has xmas lights and it is a real spectacle. It is a relatively small street and for 10-11 months of the year the only traffic belongs to the residents. However come xmas time our street turns into a highway with buses, cars and many pedestrians coming up the street to have a look. We even get a mention in the papers. It really is good fun for everyone, residents and visitors alike. We look forward to it every year and can't wait for this year!

Not much use where I live as you can't see the house from the road but we usually take the kids around town to look at the lights each year. We generally just put a few up in the house.

I really can't believe how much trouble some people go to though. Some people must really love Xmas.

I'm not keen to encourage 1/2 the town to drive down our dirt road at night in summer kicking up dust. Any wasy it's is terribly commercial, and just another way for the chain stores to cash in. If people drive along our road, the sensor spot lights come on, and that's rather spectacular because they show off all our new garden area at the front :-)

Terribly commercial and usually in apalling taste. Fake snow on the roof, fake snow on the ground, Santa disappearing down a fake chimney. This is 'made in China' at it's worst.

You've got to admit, good or bad taste, it is a spectacle. If someone goes to an enormous amount of trouble, they obviously want and enjoy the attention it brings. I'm all for people enjoying themselves.

I must admit that done with some good taste thrown in, it can be very pretty. Overall I find it pretty tacky. I think in this day and age when we are being urged not to waste energy resources, it seems a little bit wrong and uneccessary. I would much rather see Jan's garden with the sensor light on!
Cheers,
Dee.

When I said appalling taste, I really meant the fake snow and all the European via China stuff. Did I mention I don't like fake snow? I love Christmas and I love decorating my house, but I like my decorations to reflect the fact that I live in Australia, where it definitely doesn't snow at Christmas.

Most of our cul de sac decorate their homes including usJan.

I love going to see the lights, especially if the Grandies are with us, nothing can copy the looks of joy on their faces.
A dear elderly couple we know dress with Santa Hats and carry baskets of sweets for the children who come to look, they work and think all year how to change their display to make it a bit different each time.
They have a crib with Baby Jesus in the same corner though.
Let's keep Christmas in Australia.
Marion

I agree with above posts - it can be very tacky. But lights over trees can look good. It's the lights in the "shape of things" I don't like. And the plastic Santas, reindeer etc etc.

Darn it! I was going to send you some fake snow for Christmas Wattleblossum. Guess I have to rethink...

Im with you Marion it does seem to engender a sense of community and often gives a great connection between the elderly and children. I know of quite a few elderly people who do this and get a great deal of pleasure from it.
As far as wasting electricity tell that to the corporations with their office buildings.
I hope christmas never becomes elegant.

Sorry Andrea, perhaps you'll have to look for one of those exterior projector and slide sets. Have you seen them? They're very popular in some southern states of the USA, where people project giant images of the American Flag, Uncle Sam, cookies and milk (I made that one up), right across the fronts of their houses. Of course thay have a whole range of Christmas slides as well. Do you think you could have some sent over in time?

There is a company (in Ballarat) who are producing a new type of projection glass which you can use to display images - movies, stills, computer graphics etc. It is basically for advertising on large buildings, where you could have glass windows 14 stories high with ever changing advertisements projected onto it. You can also use it in the home - against a wall, or even your windows, but the catch is that your neighbours could see the images too. Could be a problem, or it could be used for the most fabulous christmas displays. Or even to display huge pictures of my irises in bloom so the neighbours know I have really lost it :-)

In that case, I'll just project something from here, from my roof, I'll probably be able to hit the blue mountains!
Merry Christmas everyone.

Bah, HUMBUG! Tacky or tasteful the children love it. The more garish and bright it is the more they seem to love it.
Having said that though, we have a display each year near us that is very traditional, donkeys, wise men, mangers etc in a garden that is divine anyway and each year we have voted it our favourite.
Actually with such a beautiful story for christmas it makes you even wonder who Santa is. I find a baby being born in a manger more believable than a fat old man with hundreds of mini helpers.

Now that we finally (after living here nearly 4 years) have the front garden looking somewhat decent (nice lawn, neat gardens... empty gardens thanks to the snails!! but neat none the less). I would like to start putting in a few nice christmas lights. I like the white outline lights you get in the shapes of snowmen, reindeer, sleighs, stars etc. I think Bunnings sells them. I should go check them out really :)

Angelee

I will admit some people go overboard but I think they also enhance the Christmas spirit, especially for the kids. It seems to give people a lot of joy which we need more of in this world.

I am just blown away as to how many people have posted a message

Sometimes I think that without christmas decorations Christmas would be a fairly quiet afair. People would be saying, "Where is Christmas, does not anyone care any more " ? Celebrating is all part of being happy , the big one , which is .... " ENYOYING LIFE " .

Celebrate , join in and share as a comunity, life is so short, no time to be 'a grumpy garden_worm
I am looking forward to Christmas very much indeed
..................signed garden_worm

I love Christmas for many reasons , one for the birth of our Lord and for people noticing each other- maybe for the first time, they show it in the way they approach one another each one has there own happy or sad story around this time of year.Inever put up lights outside but my 19 yr old grandson was leftan invalid etc; though someone who failed to give way .and he loved Christmas lights SO my husband and I struggle and put them up we love him and know he would love them it is now our Christmas tree

bindii - I'm sorry to hear about your grandson - though your story illustrates how the Christmas spirit does make some of us think of others first, which not every one does for the rest of the year.

I LOVE Christmas. I love Christmas lights, Christmas decorations, thinking of and making just 'the' right present for my nearest and dearest (I love to make most of my presents).

Last Christmas we had only been in our new house 12 months, and the front yard had had very little done to it, except some paths marked out where I want them to go (when I eventually get the money) and several loads of pony manure and hay spread over the rest, to start converting the clay builders rubble to something plants could live in. When we built, I had 6 double power points put out the front of the house (two storey, with verandah across the front) because I knew I would have lots of Christmas lights. Last year the budget stretched to enough icicle lights to hang across both levels of the verandah, and I treated myself to a set of reindeer just over 4 foot high - the lighted set where the buck with antlers moves his head side to side, and the doe puts her head up and down eating. There were only a handful of plants no more than ankle high (basically invisible at night) in the whole 20m by 8m stretch - so all you could see was the icicle lights across the front, and the 2 reindeer (with the doe artfully nibbling from the remains of a bale of hay). Very plain.... but I thought it looked GREAT!

This year we are having a street party in December for Christmas (all of 6 houses in our street, but we are inviting some of the neighbours from behind) - and the comment was made at the planning meeting last week that all the neighbours loved my modest display last year (the kids all loved the reindeer) and that everyone was going to put some lights up this year.

I'm looking forward to Christmas.

I posted and nothing happened will this work Maybe I posted it to the wrong country or last Christmas instead of this year I wonder .

Yep it seems to be working ok this time

Just wanted to say "thank you" to the people who have a great positive attitude to Christmas.

Bindii
I am thinking the accident was a car accident if so I do know of this pain also not for myself but someone else , and I do know of the non caring people who drive on the road and cause an accident and feel no remorse or no concern for their wreckless driving. Insurance will make it right they think .

But it is Christmas time so we just have to hold our chin up and go on and look to better events and joys

We have some wonderful Christmas light displays around here. In some streets there are whole rows of houses all lit up. The kids love it and us oldies get to feel a bit like kids again. I hate seeing the Christmas decorations at the shops start to come out around September. It seems ridiculous and by December I don't even notice it anymore. But I don't think I've ever seen a house decorated before December. Some only put their lights up the weekend before Christmas. Then it really does feel special.
Decades ago here in Canberra David Jones used to have a choir singing carols on late shopping nights and outside the mall the Salvos would also be playing carols. I miss that. Now it's more about selling than celebrating. And as soon as Christmas is over we're into the New Year sale season and then Valentines Day, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, etc, etc, etc.

Time to dig out the santa . Next week-end will be the time to start some serious thought.

While the weather is warm at nights it is good to sit outside and enjoy the lights and the efforts that one has put in. A good old evening chat with ones partner or friend while looking and enjoying the atmosphere.

I don't condemn anyone who thinks less positive about Christmas lights . but I will put up a few I think.

Christmas is a little comercial I know. Sometimes that comercialism helps to make a better celerbration if one has the positive attitude or a attitude to just enjoy, issues of life. Life comes once so...... join in and burn up some power ... , I am sure the year to come will be much better one might even fine ones self looking forward to the next Christmas.
Yep be bold and cool go for the Santa thing, it's all good fun .

Garden_worm

My lights are all up , well most of them arrrrr... it looks soooo good .
lights around the water features and up a tree each side of the yard.

Last year a xmas tree got blown down by a strong gust of wind , so it's nice and secure this time.

I can enjoy the xmas and the feeling for a few weeks.

A few decorations in side the house are really tops, Family will be here next week-end

garden-worm

I love Christmas and there are a few in our street who decorate with lights. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. However, my neighbour and I began a wonderful tradition in our street about 12 years ago. On Christmas Eve, around 8pm all the residents put candles into paper bags (with a little sand in the bottom for stability) and place them out on the verge. It is truly beautiful as they glow into all the way into Christmas Day. We all then stroll about the street catching up with neighbours and friends. Even people who have moved come back for Christmas Eve. It really makes a significant difference to the feel in the neighbourhood for the following year.

Wattle could you explain the paper bag and the candle.

I'm not knocking it but would you do the candle thing on a fire ban day?

Doesn't the paper bag smolder and then catch fire

Cathy

I guess the paper bag thing depends where you live, I believe it is quite common in the US. Certainly wouldn't be allowed where I live. It does sound nice and the streets that participate must look a picture.

Putting up lights and decorations already! Aaaaaaagh! it's too soon I'm not ready for Xmas yet, help give me a few more weeks.

Sorry, a little Xmas panic set in then :-)

Christmas doesn't exist on my calendar.It is too close to when my husband died .I send very few christmas cards and my christmas tree has not seen the light of day for at least four years.
Last year ,I bought some out door christmas lights and put them in a tree out in the paddock.It is a native pine smack bang in the middle of a crop paddock.Dragged the generator out to the tree and ran the lights for a few nights,just for the hell of it.I don't know if any one else noticed them but I didn't really care.I even invited some freinds up to have a picnic/bbq tea out in the paddock as well.
After tea we went for a drive into the town to see the christmas lights but they thought mine were the best ,knowing how hard christmas is for me.Maybe I will do it again this year.................!

Calthrop
I think you should do it again this year. For sure.
Merry Christmas
Andrea

Our son died on Christmas Eve and it really put a dent in
Christmas but we got over it, to a degree, by taking the Grandchildren to see the lights and tell them the story of Christmas and watching all the other children and adults enjoying the sights and sounds of Christmas.
Have Roast Leg of Lamb on the day and talk of our boy.
I hope Christmas stays always.
Your tree will be looking wonderful again this year.
Marion,

Calthrop, I hope you decide to to your tree in the paddock again I would like to think of you there. Marion to lose a child is unimaginable I have so much respect for your courage. Merry Christmas . pam

Cathy, Most of us use ordinary paper bags and fill about a quarter of it with sand. This 'rounds' the bag out and actually makes the sides of it quite rigid. The candles we normally use are the tealights/votives so they nestle carefully in the sand and the flame is not high. Other neighbours use taller candles and they tend to also use wooden skewers around the inside of the bag to support the sides of the bag and to ensure the bag doesn't collapse on the candle and get set alight. Some neighbours put their candles in cut-up and up-turned softdrink bottles to make a 'lantern' effect. We have had two Christmas Eves with firebans and needed to check witht he police and fire departments. On both occasions we were allowed to go ahead as long as each participating house had their garden hose in easy reach of the candles. We haven't had any mishaps- we all love it and so there are lots of people out and about. It is great to see all the generations strolling around and chatting to neighbours.

Christmas lights lose their colour especially the blue ones so every second year)or three) one needs to buy new lights where can we buy paint to renew the colour ?
Does anyone else have a problem with the colour on lights peeling off
garden_worm

For those of you putting up Xmas lights, check the display on this website to see how you compare...

http://media.putfile.com/WizardsofWinter-SM

Something to aspire to,now MooQuack dont be bashful its your house right?

oh my .......goodness

yq,

I wish it was my house. This video embodies every reason why my beloved will not permit me uncontrolled Xmas light installation. She is very aware it would escalate from "just a string here" to "check THIS out!" really quickly...*wry grin*