Argyle Living November 2022

Is TOO MUCH?

by Steve Gamel

Murray Media owners Scott and Kelly Murray love decorating for Christmas. In fact, Scott recently joked that his neighbors know exactly when it’s time to start decorating their own houses when they see him dusting off his 35-foot inflatable Santa. Basically, you better keep up and show your Christmas cheer in the most flamboyant way possible when the Murrays are around.

That’s all well and fine, but that conversation got us thinking: How much Christmas decorating is too much? For example: is it acceptable to have a few strands of pretty lights on your house and in the trees, or do your lights need to be seen from space?

In Scott’s eyes, there’s no such thing as overdecorating. But others say there should at least be a happy medium somewhere.

Here are a few ways to know if you’re overdoing it on the Christmas decorations this year:

You can’t even see the brick on your house

You may have overdone it if every inch of your home is covered in blinking lights, to the point where you can’t see a single naked brick, siding, or shingle. If you need a proper visual, just watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. In that

movie, Clark Griswold thinks using every strand of light possible will make this the best Christmas ever.

Your electric bill regularly triples every Christmas

All that extra lighting costs money, no matter how pedestrian or over-the-top you are with decorating. But you may have too much going on in your front yard if you find that your electric bill goes from $80 bucks to $240 each December.

You’re investing more hours setting up than spending time with your family

Decorating-obsessives devote countless hours each Christmas to not just putting up lights but also incorporating fresh designs, animatronics, laser-light shows, music, inflatables, and other caricatures. Many of these sideshows require several people to chip in their time and can cost thousands of dollars when it’s all said and done.

You’re buying store displays instead of stuff off the rack

You can buy a few inflatables anywhere these days. But if the ones on the shelves are not big enough and you’re paying a premium to buy the store’s displays, you may be overdoing it. FYI, Scott’s 35-foot Santa is a prime example.

You’re spending more money on decorations than presents for the kids

Christmas is about giving. And if you have kids, that means giving a lot with toys and other trinkets that will absolutely make their holiday season. So keep that in mind the next time you think you need to load your grocery cart up with another dozen boxes of lights. You’re not a Scrooge if you skimp on the lights to make sure everything your kids really want is wrapped under the tree.

While it’s fun to joke about people overdoing it with Christmas decorations for the holidays, at the end of the day, it is exciting to see everyone getting into the spirit. So if you feel like overdoing it this year, go for it. Just don’t complain when Christmas has come and gone, and your family won’t help you put everything back in boxes.