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Christmas Lights a Thing of the Past?

nathajw

nathajw

MegaPoke is insane
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Mar 21, 2007
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I'm old enough to remember seeing Christmas lights on peoples' homes for over 30 years now. Is it just me or has the amount of people that just don't do it increased dramatically over the past 15-20 years and more so over the past 10? I'd say 1 out of every 3-4 houses in my neighborhood has any sort of Christmas decoration outside and driving around I feel like that number is even better than the overall average these days. Whole streets don't have a single house with lights. I'm not Clark Griswold but I make an effort to decorate the house outside with some lights the weekend after Thanksgiving. Nothing that'll blow you away but at least something.

Am I just being nostalgic and remembering things better than they really were? Can any of the old heads chime in? Was it really abundant in the 60s and 70s? Are people now just that damn lazy? You never had to have money to have Christmas lights. Some of the poorest kids I knew Dads went hard.
 
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Too busy. Life across the board in the US, I think, is just more hectic than 20 years ago I used to put up lights, but have only done it once in the last 15 years or so.
 
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nathajw said:
I'm old enough to remember seeing Christmas lights on peoples' homes for over 30 years now. Is it just me or has the amount of people that just don't do it increased dramatically over the past 15-20 years and more so over the past 10? I'd say 1 out of every 3-4 houses in my neighborhood has any sort of Christmas decoration outside and driving around I feel like that number is even better than the overall average these days. Whole streets don't have a single house with lights. I'm not Clark Griswold but I make an effort to decorate the house outside with some lights the weekend after Thanksgiving. Nothing that'll blow you away but at least something.

Am I just being nostalgic and remembering things better than they really were? Can any of the old heads chime in? Was it really abundant in the 60s and 70s? Are people now just that damn lazy? You never had to have money to have Christmas lights. Some of the poorest kids I knew Dads went hard.
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We haven't done it in several years (8 or 9?)after some kids severely vandalized some yard decorations (don't worry - no inflatables) we had and really jaded my wife. We actually talked about it doing it this year, but kind of got too busy and didn't do it. I'd say odds are pretty good we will do it in 2017.

We actually gave some of our old remaining decorations to my daughter and son-in-law, who just bought their first home and added what we gave them to some newly purchased stuff. I was delighted they still worked and looked great at their house.
 
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I used to do them every year but one year killed my Christmas lights spirit .. ankle surgery happened on 12/18 and my step dad and several other folks say "We'll come take your lights down after Christmas for you" well after therapy and healing as I got on the roof in May to remove my lights, I said "never again". That one surgery turned into 3 but still even if I could have I was not going to out of being mad ... I may have a problem with letting some things go.
 
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I only do when the wife ask. I hate doing it with a passion. It is always balls cold when I have to take them down and I hate the cold.
 
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Consider how roof pitches have changed. I can walk on my parents house no problem. To try and traverse my roof is almost certain death. And the height of the awnings is too high for a ladder. I would need a bucket truck.
 
Do any of you that don't put lights on your house have young kids that are in still in the home? If so, damn that's cold...
 
I've never put up lights and probably never will. Last year we didn't even put up a tree and it was the best Christmas ever.
 
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squeak said:
I've never put up lights and probably never will. Last year we didn't even put up a tree and it was the best Christmas ever.
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Scrooge-gif.gif
 
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I'll always decorate with lights, takes me back to childhood, love the old big C bulbs and still use them today. We always have a natural noble fir inside, this year a beautiful 11-footer that the kids helped me decorate.

Heck I love the small homes that just have one string of lights, it's the spirit and the joy it symbolizes to me.

Fortunately many homes in our neighborhood decorate as well.
 
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Nope, here's my mom and dad's house in North Little Rock, AR. this is around 1/3 of the yard. Usually gets about $6+ grand in donations for wounded warrior, make a wish, and other charities.

resized_249778-img_5329_66-20403_t550.JPG
 
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If you live in a Tulsa area, take the time to drive south on 75 towards Glenpool, then turn right at the Walmart headed towards Sapulpa. Lights are amazing.
 
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The Duke said:
No tree at Christmas for the kids??? That makes me sad.
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A lot of people don't have fond memories of Christmas. It was very stressful on my parents and I saw that as kid and it stressed me out. I don't want to do that to my kids so I don't make a big deal out of the consumer side of Christmas.
 
Alpha Poke said:
If you live in a Tulsa area, take the time to drive south on 75 towards Glenpool, then turn right at the Walmart headed towards Sapulpa. Lights are amazing.
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Also saw an awesome display just off the Creek Turnpike in Broken Arrow. Just head west about a half mile past NSU on the South side of the road. Makes the Griswold's look tame.
 
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squeak said:
A lot of people don't have fond memories of Christmas. It was very stressful on my parents and I saw that as kid and it stressed me out. I don't want to do that to my kids so I don't make a big deal out of the consumer side of Christmas.
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Ah, got it. Has nothing to do with the commercial side of things, just having family traditions and good memories. We're not out to compete with anyone, I just like Christmas lights and decor....helps make each day a bit more special this time of year. To each his own.
 
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In our neighborhood there is massive peer pressure to go all out on lights. Our neighborhood is one where people come and drive through to see the lights.

I was late this year with mine due to being in a deep negotiations and a price war with my lights guy and I was getting bad looks from my neighbors.
 
osu2082 said:
In our neighborhood there is massive peer pressure to go all out on lights. Our neighborhood is one where people come and drive through to see the lights.

I was late this year with mine due to being in a deep negotiations and a price war with my lights guy and I was getting bad looks from my neighbors.
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Christmas lights is no place to scrimp and play hardball, sir. You're lucky the neighbors didn't visit you in the middle of the night and deliver a Private Pyle type of message.

private-pyle-soap-time-o-s.gif
 
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We put out a few lights and lawn decorations last year and they were vandalized which really upset my kids. Skipped it this year but made the inside really nice, less stressful to do it this way.
 
osu2082 said:
In our neighborhood there is massive peer pressure to go all out on lights. Our neighborhood is one where people come and drive through to see the lights.

I was late this year with mine due to being in a deep negotiations and a price war with my lights guy and I was getting bad looks from my neighbors.
Click to expand...

I told your girls that next year you are doing the whole light show set to music thing at your house.

Start saving those dollars.
 
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I have two kids. 7 and 3. This is the first year we have ever done lights, and that only happened because my wife overpaid some attractive fireman to come out and put them up.
 
tcpoke said:
I have two kids. 7 and 3. This is the first year we have ever done lights, and that only happened because my wife overpaid some attractive fireman to come out and put them up.
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Did he offer to let her climb up onto his ladder? Those guys came by my place too.
 
nathajw said:
I'm old enough to remember seeing Christmas lights on peoples' homes for over 30 years now. Is it just me or has the amount of people that just don't do it increased dramatically over the past 15-20 years and more so over the past 10? I'd say 1 out of every 3-4 houses in my neighborhood has any sort of Christmas decoration outside and driving around I feel like that number is even better than the overall average these days. Whole streets don't have a single house with lights. I'm not Clark Griswold but I make an effort to decorate the house outside with some lights the weekend after Thanksgiving. Nothing that'll blow you away but at least something.

Am I just being nostalgic and remembering things better than they really were? Can any of the old heads chime in? Was it really abundant in the 60s and 70s? Are people now just that damn lazy? You never had to have money to have Christmas lights. Some of the poorest kids I knew Dads went hard.
Click to expand...

I guess I must live in an area of a lot of lights (south Tulsa - almost Bixby). A strong majority of homes in my neighborhood have lights. IMO, more people than ever do lights and they have much larger displays.

Shoot this year I bought a couple of the laser displays that project on my house just to keep up with the neighbors.
 
tcpoke said:
I have two kids. 7 and 3. This is the first year we have ever done lights, and that only happened because my wife overpaid some attractive fireman to come out and put them up.
Click to expand...

Pics of the fireman?
 
tcpoke said:
I told your girls that next year you are doing the whole light show set to music thing at your house.

Start saving those dollars.
Click to expand...

If ol Freddie can make it happen for the $225 I beat him down to for this year then I'm in. If not we are splitting the cost.
 
Alpha Poke said:
If you live in a Tulsa area, take the time to drive south on 75 towards Glenpool, then turn right at the Walmart headed towards Sapulpa. Lights are amazing.
Click to expand...

Paragon Industries...some crazy rednecks that absolutely love Christmas and the 4th of July.

The lights are pretty freaking incredible.
 
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Spunky Creek, down the road from me in K2C (Catoosa) used to be the place to go for lights when I was growing up. Even up until my initial years in medical school it was the place to take a date during December, late 90s early 2000s.

I think many of those folks are the age of my parents now, 70s and 80s, so they don't do it as much.
 
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