Christmas lights=ecological vandalism.

[Graham_S]

Here's something that bugs me.
Christmas Lights.
Everywhere I go I see houses lit up with loads of lights.

How irresponsible is this? with adverts on TV and in the papers telling people to save energy, turn off lights when not in use, etc. And still we see this display of wasted energy.
There is no need. What is this doing to peoples carbon footprint?


SAY NO TO XMAS LIGHTS!!

 

[EdS]

I'll second that - save the very same every year.

And excessive lights on motorways, should be 100m before and after junctions & slip roads only

 

[andy_e]

Totally agree, say no to Xmas cards too, waste of trees if you ask me.

 

[Bob the Blacksmith]

. And still we see this display of wasted energy.
There is no need. What is this doing to peoples carbon footprint?


SAY NO TO XMAS LIGHTS!!

I think that they are great. They cheer people up at a miserable time of the year. I'd be interested to see a life-cycle comparison of crimbo lights versus fireworks, I suspect the average family consumes more resources in the use of fireworks than powering their festive lights.

 

[Mike Ameling]

T'was only a matter of time ....

Till this new fanatical fad religious cult called "green" or "eco" or "environmentalism" decided to go after Christmas. Every other fringe group his hacking on Christmas, so they might as well pile on as well.

No, I ain't a fan of all the lights.

Kind of reminds me of the old Puritans or the Inquisition. If somebody (other than us) is having fun, then it must be bad and we have to punish them for it. And "we" know best how everybody else should live and think/believe.

Sorry for the grumpy rant. I've had to put up with too many of those "holier than thou" people lately. Or should I say "greener than thou". And most can't even see the hypocracy of their own words compared to their actions and lifestyle.

Mikey - crawling back under my rock out here in the Hinterlands

 

[JohnC]

WE forgot Christmas cards last year, people still spoke to us, this year we didnt do any, sent an ecard intead to family...

 

[Cairodel]

T'was only a matter of time ....
Till this new fanatical fad religious cult called "green" or "eco" or "environmentalism" decided to go after Christmas. Every other fringe group his hacking on Christmas, so they might as well pile on as well.
No, I ain't a fan of all the lights.
Kind of reminds me of the old Puritans or the Inquisition. If somebody (other than us) is having fun, then it must be bad and we have to punish them for it. And "we" know best how everybody else should live and think/believe.
Sorry for the grumpy rant. I've had to put up with too many of those "holier than thou" people lately. Or should I say "greener than thou". And most can't even see the hypocracy of their own words compared to their actions and lifestyle.
Mikey - crawling back under my rock out here in the Hinterlands

Agree wholeheartedly with both of you...
The only reservation I have is the length of time before Christmas they are put up,
and taken down afterwards....

A Bright and Merry Christmas to all...

 

[fred gordon]

Don't want to interfere as this thread is interesting but none of my business, if you get my drift. Howver, it would make a good Poll. Christmas lights, motorway signs, lighting up famous bridges, buildings etc. Just a thought.

 

[xylaria]

I love cristmas lights, because I need the extra lux to stop me hibernating. They cheer me up no end. We keep some of ours up until the middle of january.

but we haven't sent christmas cards out in years, i have wrapped pressies in newspaper before.

This time of year means so many different things to so many different people, but the old grumpy blacksmith so right. I am getting so peeved off with those that demand the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but don't think they have the duty to protect those rights for others that don't think like them.

If someone wants to coat there house in a dancing santa light show it doesn't stop anyone choosing having none.
If someone wants to piously concentrate on the christ and mass part good on them, it doesn't stop me celebrating yule or anyone else's hanukkah or eid.
If someone wants to eat nut roast it doesn't stop anyone eating fois grois.

Tis the the season of good will to all men.

 

[John Fenna]

Personally I do not put up Xmas lights - not because of the ecco side of things, but simply because they clash with my ideas of good taste!
Most lights - and exterior lights especially - are simply tacky.
I use a small artificial treehung with baubles - mostly spun glass dating from my infancy and so laden with memories of Xmas past when my parents were with me in the flesh not just in Spirit, and light the tree (from a safe distance) with candles and candle lanterns.
Much more tasteful than a flashing, animated, Santa no matter what his carbon footprint.
As to when they go up...
In my youth the house was decorated on Xmas eve and everything came down on 12th night - and Christmas was SPECIAL.
Now decorations are to be seen going up in November and coming down in Feb!
What does that say about Xmas being special?
I will not have a go at anyone celebrating in their own way but I personally prefer a trad Xmas - but then I am a dead ringer for Mr Pickwick!

 

[xylaria]

The dancing homer santa light show does not conform to my idea of taste either. But it is not my business to judge. We do take our kids for drive around the council estates to look at potteries illuminations. We keep one set up for my sons birthday and mine on 11th and 12th of jan

What is a traditional christmas anyway. Each generation adds and takes away things from festivals. I cant see what is wrong with change but there is alot wrong with fundamentalism of any type.

John you look nought like mr pickwick, and friendly pirate is closer.

 

[Tengu]

Me too, the lights are very nerve wracking.

and its in bad taste

There was a street near here where EVERY house was lit up like a xmas tree on serious drugs, they did this for charity.

but people kept on going round, driving up and down this street, a cul de sac, and worse still, on the main road with people stopping) it cant have been much fun living there over xmas....

You will be glad that our interfering totilarian police have advised them to stop...not a sausage now.

As for the ecological cost, these people pay for it, dont they? (and some of them dont care how big their fuel bills get, says she who struggles to pay every bill and cant turn her central heating on....I find candles very useful) Its not like the government give grants to look festive.

But I dont like my 70 year old father having to go up the ladder to attach his wifes icicle lights to the gutter.

 

[John Fenna]

Ahh Xylaria!
I have just had my first haircut for 4 months (the panto I was in is now over and I no longer have to look like "a hedge with eyes" "mountain goat" or "apeman") so I am back to a No. 2 crop with the bald patch shining bright!
If Pickwick wore a trimmed beard we could be twins!
You areright about traditional Xmas changing with each generation - I was refering to is one of the "traditions" of my childhood, not nessessarily of anyone elses traditions.
As to liking/disliking Xmas lights it all comes down to personal taste - I am not fond of Xmas cake or mincepies either - and I find many popular things tacky as well - obvoiusly I am in the minority or they would not be so prevelent!
A merry Xmas to you all

 

[Wayland]

I have mixed feelings about this.

On the one side I do think it's an environmental problem in the West, we seem to be afraid of the dark, everything must be lit up.

The result is we can't see the sky at night as it really is and very few people ever learn the real capabilities of their own night vision.

I'm well known at the meet ups for grumbling about people using head torches to blind everyone they meet but at the same time I have reflective cord and luminous toggles on my guy lines to stop people tripping on them.

The other side of me says that the deep winter months can be depressing at times, especially when there is little real sunshine in the days. A few lights raise the gloom at such times and if it makes people happy then perhaps it is no bad thing.

 

[w00dsmoke]

Here's something that bugs me.
Christmas Lights.
Everywhere I go I see houses lit up with loads of lights.

How irresponsible is this? with adverts on TV and in the papers telling people to save energy, turn off lights when not in use, etc. And still we see this display of wasted energy.
There is no need. What is this doing to peoples carbon footprint?


SAY NO TO XMAS LIGHTS!!

C'mon Graham...you are in Dundee what do you expect? pmsl One of the most poor cities in Scotland outside Glasgow and folk need to show an outward display of status through the exhibition of Xmas lights! Dundee is the grimmest greyest doorest city i've ever lived and worked in, giving it some light is a sheer act of love man!

 

[JonnyP]

Crikey, christmas doen't half bring out the grumbling old men....Tis the season to be jolly don't you know...I bet you wingers will occasionally over eat or over drink...Do you not realise that is not very eco friendly for your body...Get on with your own lives and stop begrudging others happyness....

 

[Toddy]

Bah Humbug Actually I like humbugs, quite a nice wee minty sweetie

Xmas lights ? Oh dearie me (shakes head)
Appallingly crass most of them; where enthusiastic neighbours have turned their homes into veritable slot machines of flashing, whirling migraine inducing dazzles like those of a fairground show. And they all seem to be in place and switched on before December too :11doh: It's kind of pathetic. Goes on too long, spoils the pleasure of a special few days.

I kind of hibernate through the darkest bit of the year, I don't get depressed, just incredibly sleepy and unenergetic, and I know the light levels are to blame. I can well understand the 'need' for light, but I'm inclined more to real light ( is it more polluting? ) and happily light up my garden with candles
Not quite so easy when it's pouring with rain, admittedly

My apple tree has bluebirds and green leaves and bright flower lights wound through it though. They get left in place all year but only switched on for a few days a year. When I have friends in for supper, when it's Solstice and Equinox, Hallowe'en and Yule and the New Year. I don't even leave them on overnight, just for a few hours enjoyment.....not to flood the neighbourhood with light pollution.

Okay, grump over, I've got another cold from hell and find I'm drowning when I try to lie down Gonna go and make some hot cider )

cheers,
Toddy

 

[SOAR]

I like decorations of all sorts homemade or handed down through generations like the ones we have, I'm not a big fan of the over the top external decorations that seems to go on, but each to their own.
A friend of mine loves them, his house is so lit up at Christmas its a joke, he has everthing from santas to grotos on his roof and in his garden, but he has 8 kids, and they love it, and it makes him happy. Last year he was up on his roof fitting more new lights when the ladder fell of the roof, his wife was in so he tried banging on the roof to get her to put the ladder back up, no reply, so he tried to ring her from his mobile, 8 attempts later he gave up. He was stuck up on his roof for 5 hours until his neighbour got home from work and he was able to get his attention. When he got down and went to see where his wife was she was sitting with her feet up watching telly with a brew totally unaware of what had gone on.
Still it doesn't stop him as his house is still draining the national grid this year, but he's happy and so are his kids.

Simon.

 

[Wayland]

Oh by the way..

God Jul

 

[gorilla]

christmas lights are fine - i personally find it cheering and all part of the season. i put all my decorations up 12 days before, and down 12 days after - long enough to keep the kids happy, but not so long so that i'm fed up with them!
i don't do cards, but for fiscal reasons only
above everything else, Christmas should be a happy, tolerant time, not a time for the moaners to kick off. carbon footprint? - i use what i have to use, and it's no-one elses business - i have no plans on turning Amish anytime soon, so electricity and big diesel engines are ok by me!
Graham S - expect the first ghost when the bell tolls 1.......