Have been dilligently turning television, and other audio home stuff  onto 'off' rather than standby to save energy throughout the year...

Imagine my joy to see the unfeasibly adorned houses all over the country 'celebrating' the season with probably 10 supertankers worth of diminishing resources to illuminate their blow-up electric santas and snowmen.

Just wondered if anyone else felt the same about the sort of fuel-crisis aspect to this practise that is increasingly popular.

An American import I believe. I have a theory that people are getting jiggy with their houses, dressing them up as an act of love and worship. Or maybe they are crying out for attention?

Given that not many people celebrate Christmas in a 'Christian way' anymore, this is quite a disturbing practise.

There are issues of meanness associated with not illuminating civic areas etc. Also strong opinions on Muslim areas refusing to 'celebrate' the season with illuminations while making a show of their new-year festival in February.

Perhaps like fireworks, people could all pool resources in one place, for one public display of colour and 'worship' in their communities rather than all over the place.

It is a luxury, like gas-guzzling motor cars, that we will have to do without at some point in the future.

And those calor-gas space heaters, chucking heat up into the night skies,   what's that all about... etc.

Ranga