Christmas lights in Humboldt County
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that there seem to be more people putting up more lights this year? I wonder if it has anything to do with the advent of the new LED lights that are intensely bright, never get hot, and use a lot less electricity than the older types. I picked up just one string of the LEDs, on sale at Winco, just to compare to our old ones.
What a difference! They actually seem to glow with an aura (and yes, I was wearing my glasses at the time I made this observation). I guess I just have to trust that it's not EMF radiation I'm seeing ... if I grow a third arm, I'll let you know.
Anyway, thank you to all those who take the time to decorate their homes, because you've certainly gone all out this year. One of life's little pleasures, and I have my parents to thank for this habit, is to drive around the neighborhoods we know have great lights and see what new features they've added. (We don't do this as much as we used to. Gone are the days of riding around in my folks' 1965 Buick, when gas was 31 cents a gallon.)
Comments
Actually, seems to me there are fewer and fewer people putting up lights as time goes on. Heck, the Eureka Reporter even published a map of the more notable light displays. I'd say that's a good sign when you need a map to find Christmas lights.
Being one who hates Christmas, I'd say that's a good thing. Hopefully, fewer and fewer people will bother with Christmas as the years go by.
Posted by: Fred Mangels | December 27, 2007 11:47 AM
I think the creation of a map indicates rising popularity in the use of holiday decorations, or the desire for people to find the best ones. No one would argue that having an Arts Alive! map indicates the event is small.
Of course, the whole idea of lights is wasteful and skirts a line between beauty and tackiness (particularly once inflated lawn junk enters the picture). The best decorations are homemade, not bought at K-Mart or Target.
Posted by: AJ | December 31, 2007 03:56 PM
Yes, the inflatable snowglobes and Grinches are quite regrettable. I prefer to view the lights in their pristine state, unencumbered by phony icicle formations and the like. It is in this sense that I celebrate the return of light, i.e. the Winter Solstice, in placing my own lights in my window. Even if someone isn't specifically observing Solstice, I take pleasure in knowing that the traditions of lights, gifts and countless other joys of the season existed long before the church "adopted" them to make Christianity more palatable to those cultures it hoped to assimilate.
Posted by: Jen | January 3, 2008 03:36 PM