Have A Gaudy Christmas

Christmas seems to come earlier every year and this time around it's no different.

Here it is the middle of November and I've been seeing Christmas lights and displays in stores and at homes in my neighbourhood and around town.

I have nothing against people getting into the spirit of the season. In fact, I actually enjoy the holiday season...well, everything except the shopping. I like seeing the pretty lights, decorations and people seem to be in a better mood overall. It truly is a joyous time of year.

However some people seem to get carried away with the whole decorating process. I've always felt there's a fine line between tasteful and gaudy. I don't have any problem with people who put up a lot of lights on their house or in their trees or around their decks. Heck, go ahead and add some ribbons and bows if you like. These are decorations I can enjoy.

The decorations or eyesores that absolutely drive me batty are those damn inflatable monstrosities that have become popular in the last year or two.

OK fine, buy one and put it on your lawn and hope the neigbourhood kids don't poke holes in it. That is acceptable. Maybe a nice Santa or Snowman could do the trick. But don't be one of these people who feels the need to buy 10 or more of these abominations and fill every square centimetre of your yard. It looks bloody awful and your family, friends and neighbours are just too nice and too afraid to tell you about it for fear of hurting your feelings.

So that's why I'm telling you now. It looks stupid! Don't do it. Save your money for some salt to melt the ice when winter gets really bad in January and February. If you really need to buy something you can inflate, try winter tires or wait until the summer and get one of those bouncy castles for the kids to bound around on.

Have you heard the old saying, "Less is more"? It's as true today with this issue as it was in the past. Do us all a favour and just don't do it. Please.

Have a Merry Christmas.