Today I've mostly bin...

[Bunnylump]

Our tree's still on the patio. Our neighbours but one have spent the entire weekend plastering stuff all over their house outside. They have:
net of lights on the hedge.
Pretend snow and another net of lights on their extension roof.
A moving wicker reindeer (lit up) and a similar polar bear on the roof.
A painted father Christmas on the roof.
A red flashing Merry Christmas on the side wall.
A "moving" lit up steam train.
White and blue icicle lights all along the roofs and windows.

Tasteful.
I spoke to them and asked when it was going on. "As soon as it gets dark. Richard (her husband) is such a scrooge he won't let me have it on all day. You lot don't make any effort at all. You leave it all up to us."


I did refrain from saying what I thought. Mainly because she'd probably have punched my lights out.

Her parting shot was - "Oh don't worry, we're still putting up the giant inflatable snowman (it's about 8 feet high) just as soon as we've got the generator fixed!!"

WHAT a treat.

[LAT]

We drove past a house like that the other day and my OH did actually comment "imagine having to live next door to that!"

[Bunnylump]

They are, um, and INTERESTING family.

[evilkeen]

imagine having to live next door to that!

Hmmm, I live next door to one like that too. And the house just down the road has blue and white flashing lights all over it, so much so that every time I drive home I always think for a split second 'uh oh, what are the police out for tonight'

I have toyed with the idea o joining the community choir, because it's such amazing FUN to perform music o any kind with other people

You should - I guarantee that would help you improve as well as being fun - doing it is the only way to get better!

... Christingle and we'd all watch as the children teetered precariously round the church carrying candles

We make sure they are in place around the church before they light the candles, and the vicar gives a safety briefing, and there are plenty of wet towel at the ready... just in case... Had a group of 4/5 young kids this year really interested in seeing how the organ worked afterwards and having a go, which was really great!

[giraffe]

We live next door to an over decorated one too:

2 lamposts (3ft high) made of rope lights
4 or 5 illuminated pictures in the front windows (upstairs and down)
4 or 5 moving illuminated reindeer
Santa on skis
Ho Ho Ho sign
Lights in all the bushes
Lights along the front of the house
etc.

She started to put them up on about 20th of November and carried on adding more for the next 10 days. The children think we are rather boring to have a string of white icicle lights along the front. At easter time the Cristmas tree outside her front door (which stays in it's pot year round) had easter eggs on it.

My two pet hates are flashing lights, particularly the really frantic ones and blue lights, which are generally just too blue and remind me of police cars.

There is also a giant inflatible snowman down our road too, but fortunately not next door.

[kathlyn]

Having live in USA we've seen it all even a graveyard with gouls and bodies seemingly coming out of the ground and in this particular property they were still there at easter when the easter decorations came out! Christmas had the front yard to it's self though.

We decorated the outside of our house when we were out there and one year we bought a reindeer with sleigh complete with flashing lights. Bearing in mind that these were for outside use and no problems due to weather should cause a problems with the electrics my OH decided that the control box for it would be better in a plastic bag to protect it. Unfortunately before long the running legs effect of the reindeer had stopped working, owing to the condensation inside the plastic, we were left with reindeer that looked more like hovering rabbits pulling a sleigh.

[Scurra]

that looked more like hovering rabbits pulling a sleigh.

I misread that as "hoovering rabbits", which did conjure up a slightly odd image. Although no more odd than most of the images that these posts usually conjure up, I admit.

[clvrlad]

were they purple reindeer?

[Laura]

We have some really good ones near us. They are a little OTT - several moving reindeer and a sleigh, santa and a whole net of lights over the hedge, some down the path and on the roofs etc. BUT, they are all white and red, and they only put a few on. If someone comes along with small children and is looking at them, they go out and offer to switch them all on for a donation for charity, along the same principle as carol singing. So when we go carol singing each year, they get a free carol, and we get a free look at all their lights!!!

[Bunnylump]

I must admit that our neighbours are tame compared to a man a few roads away. He has his entire house AND garden covered in lights and moving things. Then he sits in the front garden for hours on end dressed as Father Christmas, so that he can collect money for charity. To be fair he does raise thousands and thousands of pounds for charity. But he must be barking mad and very COLD.

[Bunnylump]

...work's Christmas do. Am now
a) exhausted
b) full
c) have sore feet because I felt it necessary to wear scary red stilettoes (when else could you wear them apart from at Christmas?)
d) broke

[Scurra]

ore feet because I felt it necessary to wear scary red stilettoes (when else could you wear them apart from at Christmas?)

"Never" seems like a perfectly reasonable answer to me...

[clvrlad]

ooh i dunno im sure youd be fetching in them

[Scurra]

It depends where you think I'd be wearing them.

[kathlyn]

the mind boggles

[Scurra]

Only if you've got that sort of mind.
(Bunny, you keep out of this. )

[Bunnylump]

You've got to be kidding - you think I wouldn't comment on THAT?
Scurra, the thought of you wearing red stilettos is NOT a pleasant image. You just would not make a convincing woman. Sorry if I've shattered your illusions. frankly the thought of you wearing them ANYWHERE isn't that good.

I hasten to add that I probably don't look that pleasant in them either, but I'd like to think I do make a fairly convincing woman. When Im not a purple rabbit, that is!!

[Scurra]

You just would not make a convincing woman. Sorry if I've shattered your illusions.

The beard certainly doesn't help, I will concede that.

[Bunnylump]

Your feet are too big too. Doubt if they'd make stilettos that big. Basically just don't go there. You do realise you'll probably have me having nighmares about this now?

I have found you a suitable jester style alternative however...
http://images.celebrateexpress.com/mgen ... /33611.jpg

Don't say I never do anything for you.

[Biscuit]

I am so relieved - i passed my ou module exam that I sat a couple of months ago