I really don’t mind the Christmas light displays that some folks in Northeast Pa. over do this time of year. I have lived in quite a few areas of this great country. And I have traveled the highways and byways of many a state during the Christmas season. I can say then, with some self assurance, that nobody holds a candle or a string of icicle lights to the displays here in NEPA.
I have seen houses that would put to shame aircraft landing strips with thousands of watts of electricity being consumed that no doubt make the power meters spin faster than Santa’s sleigh. It must be great to work for the power company this time of year. I know it’s probably my imagination but it seems to me that the clouds emanating from the Berwick nuke plant (it’s just steam you know) are thicker and bigger this time of year.
I especially enjoy seeing the lights that perform a bit. Lights flashing and chasing in different colors around peoples yards especially now that we have a bit of snow makes me happy. I am just a kid dressed up in an adult’s body I guess. And from personal experience I know it takes a hell of lot of work to hang all those lights, plug them all in and not end up like The Griswold family with short circuits and a crispy Dad on the lawn.
But there is something about Christmas decorations that I don’t like nowadays and I can sum it up in one word. Inflatables.
I guess some might find them pretty. I think they are hideous with colors not found in nature. Plus I think it’s cheating.  Really, how much effort does it take to drag of these giant plastic bags out of a box, throw it on the lawn and plug it in?
And I am not thrilled with some of the themes. Santa on a huge rubber Harley. Santa and eight not so tiny rubber reindeer. And the other day I saw Santa in some sort of rowboat looking like George Washington crossing the Delaware.
But the real thing that bothers me about the inflatables is when they are deflatables. It not only looks sad and wrong but I am sorry to say the big Santa’s look like used discarded colored condoms when they are laying in puddles on the ground.
