Best Dressed Holiday Homes!

I have been missing in action since Tuesday because on Wednesday evening I came down with the Dread 24-Hour Virus. I think my parents used to call this the "grippe." Starts with stomach (we won't go there...) and then the next day you lie in bed all day, unable to move, unable even to blog, while you shiver and ache. And then presto! Exactly 24 hours later, you feel normal again.

At any rate, I'm back, not quite as good as ever, but close, and on a lighter note I thought I'd post a link to the Best Dressed Holiday Homes from This Old House.

Hat tip to Baristanet for bringing this fun contest to my attention!

This collection of pictures includes traditional exteriors and interiors, as well as "over-the-top" displays that have everything but the kitchen sink in them and have lights that go on and off in time to music. (See the overall editors' choice and the other two video entries). Be patient, the video ones do have ads first, but they're short.

I remember when I was much younger there used to be one of these "over-the-top" houses in Little Falls, New Jersey, that people would come from miles around to look at. It had lights on every conceivable surface, reindeer and sleigh on the roof, and the garage was opened up as Santa's Workshop with moving figures of Santa, Mrs. Santa, and the Elves. Going to see this house was part of our family Christmas tradition!

More recently, there used to be a house that overlooked the Garden State Parkway that was lit up with literally millions of little white lights - it actually stopped traffic on the Parkway as people slowed down to look at it.

It's nice to see that, although those two examples of wondrous excess are sadly gone, there are still others out there following the tradition of American Over-the-Topness. (New word I just made up).

I know that it may be politically incorrect to applaud people for wasting electricity on such a grand scale. But I have to admire anyone who has the energy, determination and know-how to put up displays like this.

Me, I haven't even gotten around to putting up a tree yet this year! And the extent of our outdoor decorations is a wreath on our door.

Whatever the extent of your decorating, I hope you're enjoying the holiday season in your own way! Me, I'll be putting up my collection of trolls around the living room this weekend. We all have our traditions!