Christmas Lights

They are fine on other's people's houses. That's pretty much how I feel about them. To me, they are a big waste of energy. Electrical energy, plus the time and personal energy needed to put them up.

My wife, on the other hand, likes Christmas lights, so we have Christmas lights. At least we've made the transition to LED lights, so the electrical energy drain is lessened. The emotional drain is just as strong as ever.

I've come to the conclusion that every year we should just trash the lights when Christmas is over. No matter how carefully lights are taken down and stored, they won't work next Christmas. My lovely wife has amassed a sizable collection of spare bulbs and fuses. It doesn't matter as the bulb design seems to change almost every year.

This year, for reasons known only St. Nick, only half of each light string worked. No amount of fiddling with them could get the other half to light. After my wife's patience ran out, I suggest a solution worthy of Solomon. I cut the wires where the lights stopped working and spliced the working halfs together.

Now most of the lights are strung -and my wife hasn't strung me up too, so it's a good year.

-Sixbears