Okay -- It's that time of the year again -- time to spark up the debate about Christmas Lights!
When should they be put up? When should they be turned on?
Is there anything wrong with leaving them up year round?
LOL. That old chestnut. I'm of the belief that they should be put up before many rum and eggnogs are required to keep the installer from freezing their chestnuts off. I'm also of the belief that they should be taken down before too many Mike's Hard Lemonades are required to keep the installer from boiling their chestnuts off.
Jabber.
Okay -- It's that time of the year again -- time to spark up the debate about Christmas Lights!
When should they be put up? When should they be turned on?
Is there anything wrong with leaving them up year round?
Put up - Anytime after Halloween. Turned on - Dec 1. Taken Down - depends on the weather. If it's a brutally cold winter then no need to rush. I would say taken down no later than April 1.
It's not ok to leave them up year round - why people chose to do this is very odd to me. It really detracts from the outside of one's house on a warm summer day to see icicle lights hanging from one's eavestroughs. Makes it seem that people don't care for them home enough. My 2 cents.
I have to agree with Jabber. The lights should go up before the weather is too cold to do it without freezing and falling off the ladder.
As for when to turn them on, most people I know, including myself, turn on the lights on the Sunday night after the Toronto Santa Claus Parade.
How do we determine "most people"? Up until just now, I'd never heard of the Toronto Santa Claus parade thing. Since when did Toronto become the center of the universe for determining when Christmas lights in Whitby get turned on??????
Why not use Whitby's pararde (December 1st), or Oshawa's parade (November 17th), or Ajax's parade (November 24th) or even better, use the local Christmas tree lighting (November 30th)?
And why does every community need to have a separate day for tree lighting and the parade -- wouldn't one big event be better?
Well put maddog!
My response to Opinionated...It's a shame you have never heard of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade as it is the largest of its kind. Broadcast in several different languages, all over the world. I guess you and your family have been missing out. (It's this Sunday, November 18th if you are interested.)
As for your questioning why not the Whitby Parade on December 1 or Oshawa's on November 17, etc., in the end you will have to make the decision that is right for you, and I will make the one that is right for me. Really it comes down to a personal decision, which you cannot decide for me or anyone else, just like we cannot decide for you.
You started this topic asking for opinions so there is my two cents.
BTW, if you would like to meet "most people I know" who put up their lights and turn them on that day, pm me and I will see what I can do about setting that up LOL!!!
It is the spirit of the season that matters. Maddog is right, put them up when YOU want and turn them on when YOU want!
And Most of all, ENJOY!
I didn't say that I had never heard of the parade, I said that I'd never heard of a tradition of turning lights on the Sunday after the parade. (at least that's what I meant to say!!)
I have enjoyed the parade for years -- but have no desire to have my traditions scheduled by something done in Toronto -- after all, it is not the centre of the universe.
Enjoy the parade, and hopefully enjoy the house light parade in our neighbourhood -- whenever it does manage to hit high gear.
I still have leaves on my trees, no snow on the ground (although the weather guy is predicting some soon) and have been getting flyers for Christmas stuff since the day after Halloween. I'm confused...which is rare.
Does it matter? I just hope everyone has lights up by the night before Christmas so when I take my evening stroll, or drive around the neighbourhood we all have lights and it makes the long evenings seem brighter. I did notice some lights on last night as we drove out of the hood and although early they were beautiful.
Can't wait to see the rest.
The weather was nice today....so the wife "suggested" I put up the lights. So I did. Then, when it got dark, I turned them on. She said "what are you doing??? It's too early to turn them on!"
So I don't know what to think
LOL
The weather was nice today....so the wife "suggested" I put up the lights. So I did. Then, when it got dark, I turned them on. She said "what are you doing??? It's too early to turn them on!"
So I don't know what to think
LOL
Hey Wingnut, my wife pulled that stunt on me last year, so you know what I did this year? I hold the ladder for her and I say to her "up you go honey"..LOL!!!