Don't Go Into The Light

Now that Thanksgiving is over, lots of us will be preparing for Christmas. Before you pat yourself on the back for your Griswald-like decoration job, you may want to take a look at this (via snopes.com).

If you have control issues, Alek's Christmas Lights Webcam lets you turn lights on and off, and even inflate/deflate Frankenstein (since when did he become a symbol for Christmas?). It was fake last year, but this year he promises to make it real, and all to raise a few bucks for Celiac Disease Research.

If you hadn't heard the music in the first item before, it's from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I've always liked the blending of rock with classical, and they do it nicely. I wish they would make a few more videos like this, though. The music from the first item is called Wizards in Winter, and a better quality listen can be found here.

If you still need decorating ideas, there are lots of pictures of Griwald wanna-be's at Planet Christmas. And for the curious, here's how Christmas lights work.

For examples of what not to do, check out Holly's Tacky Christmas Lights. I hope she updates it for this year. And take a look at this from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Not that Virginia has the market cornered on over-done lighting - here's a few in other states. Who knows, maybe you'll come across your house?

California: San Fransisco, Bakersfield (fun video here)

Florida: Pinecrest (this one raises money for cancer research, so they're at least doing it for a good cause), Tampa

Texas: Austin (some of these would make Neal Boortz proud)

By the way - comedian/author Doug Hecox thinks we're inviting trouble with all the Christmas lights. I bet he'd be really popular in Canada.

Update: Alek of Alec's Christmas Lights reponds.

Linked with and Thanks to:
Wizbang
Stop the ACLU
Basil's Blog
bRight & Early
Conservative Cat