Inflatable Joy

It’s that time of year again. Time to put the trash out and call it decoration. Yep, I am a poo-pooer of 8’ tall, motor driven, blow up snowglobes. It may not be new, but this year I’ve spotted blow up NOEL and JOY around the neighborhood. Really, if you misunderstand me, it’s not about the actual plasticized, ginormous puffy thing – although most are mostly offensive in and of themselves; it’s about the sunrise walks and seeing all this cumpled plastic stuff all over the frozen lawns in the mornings, and hearing the hum of the little inflating, motor thingies at night.

I was going through my pictures this year and found one taken of my neighbor’s blow up Grinch. They, with a sort of humorous satire, haul this big guy out for the holidays, place him next to the basketball stand and tie a rope around his neck to keep him on their property during high winds. However, this year with all the snow we experienced, Mr. Grinch emerged as a sack-like green and white parody of Mr. Grinch with the rope still attached to his neck and the pole, about 3 feet above the ground…somewhere around the first of March. The only thing missing was his tongue hanging out.

So, that’s my gripe really. Do the owners of these rhinoplastic toys haul them in before the snowfall, and haul them back out to set on top of the new fallen snow to keep up with the whole holiday décor objective here? Do they put them on a timer so that we, the benefactors of all this ornamentation, get to see the toys inflated at all times? No, rather, it appears the big bucks are spent on the toy, and then the owner cheaps out and deflates them for 21 hours of the day to save a little on electricity – I am only guessing, however I don’t really know inflatable toy etiquette, nor have I read an owner’s manual. Maybe the instructions say something about only inflating from dinnertime to bedtime. Maybe the City issued regulations I am not aware of.

My apologies to any of my close and personal friends who have 8’ tall, plastic, blow up nativity scenes tied to the tree in their front yards.  I will be very troubled if I find that I know someone who actually bought AND displayed an Orange County Chopper Santa.  I’ll speak to you again after Christmas.

Comments

[Smirking Cat]

I was just driving around yesterday thinking how HIDEOUS most Christmas decorations are...cheesy tinsel? Multi-colored, mis-matched flashing lights, with obvious telltale ends feeding to the outlet? And yes...giant inflatable trash bags! I'm a candles-in-the-window and be done with it kind of person...

[Stephanie]

I am laughing hysterically at the Orange County Chopper Santa deal. You know that my husband is the KING of decorating, but even he can't stand the giant, inflatable stuff. Too funny!

[Tulip Girl]

The City SHOULD have regulations AGAINST those giant inflatables!