Putting Up the Outdoor Christmas Lights and Stuff

Putting Up the Outdoor Christmas Lights and Stuff

by Mark Lyons

SammySocks Etc. Blog - Comments and Observations from Someone Who Is a Retired Educator and Sammy’s Dad

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

     If one bulb goes out, the whole strand goes out. Or even worse, if one bulb goes out, some of the strand will still be lit. So, you either have to try and find the bulb or bulbs that have burnt out or just go ahead and replace the entire strand. Then there’s the lighted candy canes. The plastic loves to crack while you are attempting to plunge the pointed top into the usually rock-hard ground. Metal wire deer with white lights tend to have the connections go bad – so no lights or partial lights. Again, try to replace the bulb9s) or get a whole new deer. My plastic Santa is not to scale with the other displays. He is way too small but does light up if I stuff a whole strand of lights into the bottom.

     I’ve given up trying to put lights up all around the edge of the roof. My feet don’t seem to want to go any higher than the third step on the ladder. Oh, well. I did get one of those light devices that shine on your garage door and spin Christmas characters, snowflakes, and such across the door. Well done, Mark.

     The hard plastic nativity scene seems to be quite reliable. Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus have lit up consistently every year. Mary and Joseph do tend to fall over in a stiff breeze. I have had to chase Joseph as he blows across the yard from a hard wind on more than one occasion.

     Once the lights and all are finally up and running, the question is when to take them down. They definitely stay through New Year’s. Is it the day after New Year’s? Many people around me do that. Is it the next weekend? Usually, the remainder of my neighbors do it then. Mid-March? That’s me. Spring Break. But now that I am retired – we’ll see. Could be Memorial Day!

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