Posts

Showing posts from December 15, 2013

The nightmare of '80s Christmas decorating: One light goes out, they all go out

Image
A version of this column first appeared in The Dallas Morning News and on DallasNews.com . Please check out the site. ------------ The most elaborate Christmas displays, with their lights dancing in a retina-burning yuletide tribute, are dazzling. Some houses are so intricately synchronized and professional-looking that I expect to open the front door and find slot machines, poker tables and David Copperfield. Vegas, baby! Even if a display’s vibe is more Sin City than Feliz Navidad , I enjoy the results of the Christmas can-you-top-this. I even watched a little of “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” the ABC reality show that debuted this month.   The show follows decorating gurus (or gluttons) as they search for the true meaning of Christmas -- and heavy-duty extension cords. As I put up my own decorations, which offer the dazzle factor of a new pair of Christmas socks, I admire the commitment of the over-the-top decorators.I also think back to the Christmas lights of