Grinch Corner

@ViewAhead I was amazed at the traffic in town today. Normally I'd just drive up to the entrance of the car park I use. Today there was a queue of at least a dozen cars in front of me. That was at 10am. By the time I left again about an hour later there must have been 20 to 30 cars in the queue to get in. We're still nearly 2 weeks from Christmas. Aaarrrrrgggghhh! I typed the word!

 

Every year himself complains that when he was young nobody put the tree up until Christmas Eve. However I have trained him to go out and Buy a tree in Early-Mid December whilst there are still some available! We used to have more decorations but now it is just the tree. (and for heavens sake why are most strings of tree lights single colours these days?) This year the tree cannot go up before next Wednesday because the chimney sweep is coming on Tuesday!

 

Multi coloured lights are terrible for anyone with sensory problems @Notwellygood, which is why I only have white lights, and they're on static. The constant flashing is awful, and the flashing option always seems to be the default setting. I wish it was the other way round, especially if you want to have them on a timer. I have one set which you can preset to the style you want, but that seems to be rare now.
I almost had to laugh last weekend when I went to the health centre for my jags. In the waiting area, they have a very useful bookcase with books suited to those on the autism spectrum. Right next to it - a large Ch'mas tree... covered in multi coloured flashing lights.

 

Did you mean the flashing is default @fairygirl? I do agree, I hate anything flashing.

 

Sorry - yes I'll edit that!

 

I've just realised that I've heard hardly any Christmas music in the shops this year. I've just come back from my closest supermarket where they were playing "Waterloo Sunset".
Mind you I haven't tried ASDA. Last year I went in late in November and was immediately assailed by the loudest, screechiest, most manic version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" I've ever heard. It sounded more like a threat. I left the shop immediately and made a mental note to avoid within 6 weeks of Christmas.

 

I find the coloured lights easier than the white ones, @fairygirl. The white LEDs are too harsh for me to look directly at. Absolutely agree they need to be static. The flashing ones are just so manic.

I have two strings of lights circa the 1970s. Gentle, easy on the eye, no timers or settings. Love ‘em!

 

The newer sets of lights are certainly much brighter than the old ones @ViewAhead , but if you can get ones which are 'soft white' or similar, they're nicer.
All mine in the past were the older, slightly gold ones, but once they were knackered, the replacements were quite a different colour.
I don't like mixing them either, whch made it difficult, especially when you needed over 500 lights for a tree.

 

I like my Christmas lights in single colours. Not necessarily white, although I have a lot of those, both silvery (cool white) and golden (warm white) - I like those together (maybe I'm a bit odd). And non-flashing. I have a few sets that turn back on at the setting that you last used, but most go back to flashing and I have to press the button 7 or 8 times to get back to the non-flashing setting. I guess most of them use the same control chip or whatever.

 

Always warm white for me and non-flashing. I find it stressful. Oddly, OH who has astigmatism and comes over all peculiar at strobing or swirly patterns, rather likes flashing lights so I have to go round after him doing a re-set.

 

We've got umpteen sets of lights, all multi-coloured, but all have multiple settings including static. We use the 'slow fade' option which provides variance but no flashing.

 

Another one here who doesn't like flashing - I think the tree looks dark and ugly for the moment when the lights are off.

 

I don't have Xmas trees or lights but the idea of flashing lights would drive me mad. I don't think many people who cover their outside areas with flashing lights realise just how much they can affect their neighbours.
The craze for "lighting up" earlier and earlier is also a problem. We'll be doing Xmas extravaganzas in August before too long .

 

I might do my tree tomorrow.

 

What about all the Christmas films that start being shown on TV from November onwards! Usually the same few stories told endlessly, involving a relationship break-up followed by a consolation holiday/shopping trip, a 'meet the quaint locals' chapter and then get back with the ex-partner! How many variations of these do we need, along with all the usual Christmas songs.....

At least the programmers have the decency to put 'The Grinch' on today, ITV2, 16:25-17:25 ()