Thursday, December 4, 2008

Outside Christmas Decorations

By Juliette Crane

I moved into a new neighborhood last summer, thinking it looked like a normal place to live. My neighbors all seemed nice and normal, there wasn't anything too strange about them. The day after Thanksgiving, I changed my opinion. When I left for work that morning, all was well in my neighborhood. When I returned home in the early evening, my jaw dropped. I thought that perhaps I was on the wrong road. Apparently, my neighbors try to outdo each other with their outdoor Christmas decorations. The house directly across from me, as well as on both sides of my house, had outdoor Christmas decorations covering their front lawns and homes. I'm not just talking about ordinary outdoor Christmas decorations that people oohh and ahh over, I'm talking about the most tacky decorations you can imagine.

Most of the outdoor Christmas decorations that were scattered all over the lawns were the kind that lit up. Since it was early evening and the sun was already setting, they were all lit up in their bright glory. I pulled into my driveway and just stared. I was absolutely appalled and embarrassed. I wanted to pack up my things and move right back to my old neighborhood. Directly across from me was a giant lit Santa. He must have been at least 6 feet tall and by far, the most ridiculous of all of the outdoor Christmas decorations on my block. He was swaying slightly in the breeze, making him appear as if he was waving at me. I couldn't get over the fact that all of my neighbors had managed to get all of their outdoor Christmas decorations set up in only a few hours. Apparently, I had not received the neighborhood decorating schedule.

Of course, there are so many different approaches to outdoor Christmas decorations, that I barely know where I should begin. A lot of people think that, if they do not have the energy, money, or time to create a whole Christmas diorama, either with reindeer and Santa Claus, or else with a manger scene, then there is no point in doing it at all. They are quite mistaken. Just having some nice lights strung artfully through your evergreen trees and along the eaves of your house makes for some great outdoor Christmas decorations. Don't put yourself out in designing spectacular outdoor christmas decorations that range all over your front yard. Start smaller, especially if you have not really decorated for Chritsmas before.

If you have icicles hanging from your eaves, you can use your Outside Christmas Decoration to accentuate these. Small white lights set just above, or just behind icicles give them a brilliant glow and glimmer not soon to be forgotten. Now your Outside Christmas Decoration has gotten downright classy, and all for under 50 dollars if you are careful about where you buy your Christmas lights. It is all in the planning, and that means taking stock of what you have and figuring out ways to make it look the best that it possibly can! - 15359

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