the deal with Christmas lights...

I have a bone to pick. I know, during the holidays I am supposed to be cherry- but 5 hours of bad Christmas music will put anyone in a foul mood!

Over the last few years, I've noticed an over-abundance of white lights at this time of year. I think it started when the "icicle" lights first made an appearance. People went crazy because they were so pretty and they bought string after string, then proceeded to hang them from every edge of their house. Gone are many of the multi-colored strings of lights we used to enjoy. Now it is four houses of white lights to every one colored (yes, I'm guessing, but this is what it is in my area...). The problem with all these white lights is that when used in bulk, they are just light noise. There is nothing really pretty about a house all lit up in white light. They don't twinkle, they are loud (visually speaking) and they just make it bright.

On the other hand, colored lights give something interesting to look at, especially when it snows and they cast faint rays of color across the sparkling white. I'm even okay with white icicles when they are "trimmed" with color at the top. Give me something that defines where the edge is, something to draw the attention, something for the icicles to be hanging from.

Just like I'm a fan of silence, I'm a fan of no "noisy" lights. Seeing so many yanks the holiday cheer right out of me. I know there is nothing I can do about it, just as there is nothing I can do about stores that put up Christmas decorations in September, but I just have to rant somewhere to make me feel better.

See, now I feel better. And to make me even happier- I received an acceptance letter today from a publisher- they are going to publish a poem I wrote (well, a series of haiku poems, actually). I'm all a flutter with glee. There, there is my holiday cheer today- or just plain cheer if you will.

I'm done- for now!