Sunday, October 25, 2009

Controversial Monday: Yard Decor

The rain.

The snow.

The cold.

Halloween just around the corner.

With Thanksgiving on the next corner.

And then Christmas.

In fact, Christmas is now officially less than 2 months away.

I am kind of a scrooge when it comes to Christmas decorations of any kind. But we can talk about that in another post.

Today I want to talk about Yard decorations.

Some people have them all season: wood cutouts of people bending over, flamingos, small statues of woodland animals...even cows, whatever floats your boat, I guess.

But the number of people with decorations increases dramatically with the onset of Halloween and doesn't let up until after Christmas.

Right around the corner from us we have a ring of ghosts and witches, dancing around a tree holding hands. There is a head on a stake down the street. There are pumpkins and candy corn and orange and black decorations everywhere.

Soon there will be inflatable santas, reindeer and snowmen cluttering the lawns. Lights will be all over. Outdoor nativities will be set up.

Deke loves lawn ornaments. They speak to him of parties. Lights to him demonstrate excitement.

I just think they are a lot of work. And, although I don't mind small amounts of ornamentation, there is a fine line to walk between tasteful and tacky.

Noah wants one of those Santas in the plane with the propellors that actually turn.

I am thinking maybe a little tacky.

Deacon wants a plastic light-up ghost.

I am thinking a lot tacky.

Where should that fine line be drawn?

Any thoughts?

11 comments:

Tacky? said...

http://shopchristmasinflatables.com/2009%20santa%20plane.htm

What's not to love?

Tacky?'s dad said...

The Santa plane is kitsch, but it's cool kitsch!

Rachel said...

I've always told Paul that we'd be totally country if we had two iron wagon wheels adorning the entrance to our driveway.

In OH, a popular lawn (or front stoop) ornament was the cement goose that you dress in a different outfit every month. Bizarre!

Now for holiday lawn ornaments, I'm personally against the practice b/c it involves set-up and storage, two things I don't have time or space for. Not to mention if we had lawn ornaments, my children wouldn't get excited going to Menard's and after we're done shopping, going through their holiday display section (except for the Halloween stuff - which involves too many questions since we don't celebrate that one!)

Grandma Debbie said...

A wreath on the front of the house by the door is all the outside decorating I care to do. I always wonder where people store things - especially when I see a small house with a lawn totally covered in decorations.

I enjoy seeing what the concrete dog in my hometown is wearing for each holiday.

AlyssaJoy said...

I'm a lights girl, but nothing else. I tried at one point to have a fake wreath for each season of the year, but I am not ambitious enough to pull it out at the appropriate time nor do I have the space to store it in an easily accessible space. As a kid, though, lawn ornaments were so exciting that I can sympathize with a desire for a ghost.

gma pam said...

I like the lights to brighten up those long, cold, dark nights of winter. Also, when you live in a townhome association like ours, it helps you find your house!
And about the Santa plane, it seems to fit. I love those inflatables, too!

Can we? said...

ooh ooh, gma Pam thinks we should get the plane!

peter said...

I think I prefer the Snoopy biplane, but maybe you could get both and stage a dogfight in your front yard.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I don't actually know you, and wouldn't dream of commenting, usually preferring to read your posts like a stalker--you'd never even know. Heather Anderson introduced me to it, and I'm addicted to "Controversial Monday." But I really had to laugh when I noticed this week's topic, and here's why: A few weeks back I was on a walk intended to lull my 6-month-old to sleep, and as I passed house after house cluttered with Halloween decorations, I had two observations. First, never before have I seen so much food sitting out in people's yards and on doorsteps; how many hundreds of POUNDS of pumpkin are sitting unused in the whole city of Appleton? Second, do they now have inflatable yard ornaments for every holiday? In one yard sits a giant Jack 'o' Lantern with a gaping mouth, inside which are three circling ghosts, like loosened fillings. Will there be giant inflated turkeys next month?!?! And as I mused, I thought that if I did a Controversial Monday blog, that would be my topic!
Leah in Appleton

Auntie Kendra said...

One word... tacky!

Tacky?'s aunt said...

I love the Christmas lights and wreaths. I also like it when people leave their curtains open and their Christmas tree can be seen from the street.
I can do without lawn ornaments and inflatables. My son lives in a neighborhood near a large university where people have to mount them on their roof to keep them from being stolen and/or vandalized. I don't dislike them that much.