Is it still Christmas??

[~Shaker~]

This is a pet peeve for me and it is driving me and a few of my neighbors crazy. The neighbor that lives in the very first house entering our addition still has his Christmas lights up. Not just up - he is still turning them on every night. Even during the holidays they were an eye sore because they are not attractive lights to begin with. It looks like he hammered nails about every 10' along the eve, got some icicle lights, stood back and just threw the lights up until they caught at whatever angle/interval - not nice and straight or anything close to it. Then in a tree, he has these big 12" wire balls that he has wrapped a few lights around and has them hung from the branches he could reach. And the worst is the brick mailbox - wrapped with rope lights that are not even Christmas colors - blue, pink, purple, yellow. It looks hideous. Last year some of us got together in mid-February and put a note in his mailbox that said "Christmas is over" in hopes he would get the hint. He didn't. That year the only lights he had were on a lamp post in the front yard and he was still turning them on in March. Eventually, someone (it wasn't me!) ran up into his yard and drove over the lamp post. That got rid of the Christmas lights last year, but I don't think anyone is going to be driving over his mailbox and tree this year.

Do you have neighbors that are still burning their Christmas lights? When do you think it is appropriate for the lights to come down? Do you have any ideas on what to do or say to this neighbor that would convince him to take them down, or at least turn them off? Or should I just close my eyes as I drive past every evening and mind my own business?

[71bigblock]

Our lights still come on, they arent colored, they're just white.  They're around our deck.  They still look nice? 
  They'll come down in week or so though, whenever we get some nice weather. 
I'm sorry but if someone put a note in my mailbox saying that Christmas was over, I would leave them up twice as long, lol.  I think he knows.   

[IMNCARN82]

When I was a kid my dad stapled the x-mas lights up.Left them there all year. He had to go to China for 2 yrs. I watched the house...Had massive parties,I'd turn those lights on for the parties in the summer.It was funny. I'd say that the lights should come down within a month of X-mas. Some nite take his lights down and leave some TP.

[Ornamental]

Buy some or another neighbours kid a BB-gun, problem solved.

[KellysCuda aircard]

When I was a kid my dad stapled the x-mas lights up.Left them there all year. He had to go to China for 2 yrs. I watched the house...Had massive parties,I'd turn those lights on for the parties in the summer.It was funny. I'd say that the lights should come down within a month of X-mas. Some nite take his lights down and leave some TP.

LOL

[ChallengerGary]

2nd weekend in January is when I figure.  That gives you past "Little Christmas" (Jan. 6th) which is when they traditionally say the Wise Men came to visit Jesus in the manger.

[R/T hedkace]

 I have to agree with 71bb,
If I found that note, I'd triple the amount of lights I had up,and get a second job so I could keep them on twenty fours hours a day.
I'd also personally dress up as Santa Clause to greet you home from work everyday 
 So maybe your asking the wrong guy here 

 I really think you should have had just one person go up to him last year, (so he wouldn't feel threatened), and talk to him face to face in a respectful manner. Maybe brought him a gift wrapped in a twelve ounce can as a peace offering 
Just my 

When I was a kid my dad stapled the x-mas lights up.Left them there all year. He had to go to China for 2 yrs. I watched the house...Had massive parties,I'd turn those lights on for the parties in the summer.It was funny.

Love the story IMNCARN82 

[Topcat]

My neighbor still has theirs going too. I was thinking that maybe it's some kind of a jewish religion thing or their super lazy people is the reason they stayed up longer. Like they were the only ones on the block still going. 

[duodec]

Growing up we used to leave ours up and running for the twelve days of Christmas, so until January 6th.  My wife's birthday is January 5th and she enjoys having them running so we still do the same.  After New Years Day night the timer would be set to turn off about 2AM though.  Thats after I plugged all the outside lights into a meter and found out all those twinkle lights added up to 1400+ watts (!)

 They come down the first reasonable (weather) weekend day after that.

[Super Blue 72]

Reminds me... I better take mine down soon... 

I try by Feb at the latest to take down the Christmas stuff.  Don't want the neighbors to think I'm not keeping up the house/yard.

When we first moved into our house we were so busy that I left the artificial tree up until May/June... the painters were a little confused.  One of them said, "You're either relate for Christmas or else your real early"...     

[ViperMan]

Coming from someone who's had his house vandalized (when I was younger,) I cannot for a moment support things like TP or driving into people's yards, etc.  Not being offensive - it's just something that high school kids do, and I think just about all of us are older than that.

I myself still have my lights up, but they're unplugged and I do not turn them on.  I've been out of town every weekend since beFORE Christmas, and haven't had time to take them down.  I do however have Christmas lights up in my living room, running from corner to corner around the room - I love turning them on when I'm up late, or watching a movie with the wife, or when you just want some color to enjoy.  They were hung shortly after we moved into the apartment (In March 2006,) and have been up ever since.  I believe that the Christmas spirit SHOULD live the year-round, though few of us tender the spirit in our hearts - myself included.

However as far as outdoor lighting for the season, I definitely leave them up through New Years, and usually take them down the first weekend after January 1st.  Same goes for the tree and such.  However if I had a place large enough for an indoor tree to remain decorated, I would.  I love Christmas, Christmas lights, and Christmas trees (and Christmas presents!)  Nothing else brings me such joy during the year.

Jeff

[Hopalong]

I finally got mine down yesterday.  I ususally don't wait so long but it's no fun to do when the high for the day is 18!  The guy on your block is just doing it to annoy you and everyone else.  Your neighborhood sounds as though it would have a neighborhood association, in which case there are probably rules about how long they can stay up.  Or get the ass. to meet and make a new rule about it.  I have a neighbor that lives over the hill (thankfully) that has their house decorated all year, in seasonal decorations.  Still looks like crap though.

[hannah]

This is a pet peeve for me and it is driving me and a few of my neighbors crazy.

  oh my oh my whatever happened to Christmas spirit? Maybe he thinks they look nice...you could always offer to help him put up his lights this coming holiday season...

I believe that the Christmas spirit SHOULD live the year-round, though few of us tender the spirit in our hearts

I love Christmas, Christmas lights, and Christmas trees (and Christmas presents!)  Nothing else brings me such joy during the year.

Jeff

And I thought I was the only holiday nut.

My family calls me in July to see if I have the tree up yet 

[Super Blue 72]

I finally got mine down yesterday. 

     My Christmas stuff is put away yesterday too!!! 

Without this thread it may have been late March!!!! 

[Swedefish]

2nd weekend in January is when I figure.  That gives you past "Little Christmas" (Jan. 6th) which is when they traditionally say the Wise Men came to visit Jesus in the manger.

.
I`m  usually rather eager to put the christmas down, cause then I can sense the smell of spring.    
Seriously, don`t know about you guys but we have a tradition of robbing (candy) of the christmas tree at the end of the second week of January