Love It or Hate It? Over-the-Top Holiday Light Displays

December 8, 2008

While some families go whole-hog when it comes to lighting up the night around the holidays, others see it as a waste of time and energy. Where do you stand?Source

25 Comments

Monique Marie 3 years 51 weeks

That is insane! I can't even really see the house in there. Besides from an artistic perspective, it looks way to cluttered.

starangel82 4 years 23 weeks

For the sheer amusement, I love them. But I really prefer more subtle Christmas decorations.

Calimie 4 years 23 weeks

Whatever happened to subtlety?

fleurfairy 4 years 24 weeks

oops, i meant 37th street.

fleurfairy 4 years 24 weeks

oops, i meant 37th street.

fleurfairy 4 years 24 weeks

redegg, you must be talking about 38th Street. it's hilarious and so very Austin.

willowdiamond 4 years 24 weeks

it might be a bit tacky, but the more the merrier!

Hanna1117 4 years 24 weeks

I love them...just not on my house.

redegg 4 years 24 weeks

I love it! We usually see displays like this out in the middle of nowhere driving through rural Texas and they are so fun. There is one house we always look for every year that's totally over the top. There's also a street in central Austin that over decorates with lights and people come from all over to drive/walk up and down it. They are really creative.

ThePerfectScore 4 years 24 weeks

it's only once a year and as long as they take it down a week after New Year I am all for it! Like that episode of the Fresh Prince! I like the creativity of a lights and decoration show.

WeTheLiving 4 years 24 weeks

Most houses have pretty typical Christmas decorations, so it's fun when you see something over the top and different.

skigurl 4 years 24 weeks

we have one crazy house in our neighborhood which is "known" to everyone in town (ie: people bring visiting family and friends over to see it it's so huge). and they have a box outside for food bank donations, which is really nice. it's their time and money going into it, and so they can do what they choose. but it's nice that they're also soliciting donations for charity by those who enjoy their display.

sugoionna09 4 years 24 weeks

I would never do it myself but I love it when other people do it. It's really fun and makes for a great drive through neighborhoods.

macgirl 4 years 24 weeks

It looks like most of those lights in the picture are LED (you can tell as they are overly blue) so the energy consumption isn't that bad. I think it's fun when people go all out. It's a lot of work and makes lots of little kids happy.

Katerkins 4 years 24 weeks

I think it's tacky. I'm all for holiday spirit, but you can decorate and be festive without being excessive and wasteful. We just do snowflake lights in the windows, and white lights along the rim of our house.

Katerkins 4 years 24 weeks

endomental 4 years 24 weeks

Love the lights, love the spirit, hate the waste of electricity. But it wouldn't be Christmas without lights...

krae85 4 years 24 weeks

why is it people either do no lights or so many that it's blinding? what happened to most people doing a respectful amount? btw, our neighbors are over-the-toppers, it gets annoying.

codewhiz 4 years 24 weeks

Ah, this reminds me of going to look at the Balian Ice Cream mansion.

supercoolnat 4 years 24 weeks

Tasteful ones are nice and festive. Over-the-top ones are just wasteful and tacky.

Angela123 4 years 24 weeks

LOVE IT can't get enough!!!! This house by my BFF's house has their insaaane lights somehow hooked up to a Christmas radio station, and the displays flicker and "dance" in time to the music! We used to sneak out of her house to meet boys and drink hot chocolate and watch the lights, and this year I can't wait take my 2 year old neice. :woohoo:

BOBCAT 4 years 24 weeks

yep, we go all crazy too!! SUPER!!

fleurfairy 4 years 24 weeks

In some ways I love them and in other ways I hate them. I think they are a huge waste of energy, but they are fun to look at. As long as they aren't across the street from my house!