Bah humbug

Dear Neighbours,

I'm a big fan of the enthusiasm thing. I like happy neighbourhoods, and I like living in an established one (however sketchy some neighbours were and however happy I am that they moved!). It's so much better than the student ghettos / retirement apartments I've lived in. Even if some of you didn't bother so much with the hallowe'en thing (this year OR last).

That being said, I noticed on my run tonight that no fewer than 13 of you in a 4k radius of our house have their Christmas lights up. Not just up, they're on.

I understand the desire to put up the lights BEFORE the snow really flies and avoiding the risk of having exposing flesh to the risk of being flash frozen to any surface it comes in contact with when take your glove off for just a second. I see the value in putting up lights before interminably cold weather hits, and by not doing it now myself, I understand I will likely be cursing the fact that we didn't put our lights up when it was warm in a few weeks.

I have to say, though, I'm not a fan of the early-mid November Christmas decorating. Your lawn shouldn't be blinking yet. It shouldn't be as bright as daytime when I run by your place at night. Giant Santas and enough spotlights to illuminate a black hole have no place in November.

I get that the holidays are exciting, bringing with them constant visiting, going place to place to place, frantic shopping, wrapping, commercialization to the hilt - and for some - religious significance (all but the latter are a rant for another day), and that you want to show off your excitement, but it's too early!

Sincerely,
Scroogey McCrankypants.