I love Christmas lights! My philosophy is the more of them the better! I love the part of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation when Chevy Chase's character, Clark Griswold lights up the house. He just goes to town with that staple gun! It's been a tradition in our family that the week before Thanksgiving I nag (also a tradition in our family, nagging women) my dad about the lights. He continually complains about getting them out of the attic, and then claims that there will be no lights being hung that year. Yeah Right!
I eventually get my way, by the nagging of course, and the day after Thanksgiving the lights are being hung. This is something I look forward to doing all year. Not because I love the lights, but I love spending the time with my dad. However, if he knew that he would probably prefer to just go to coffee. Yeah Right, I do love the lights!
I also love the fact that every year we hang lights, the morning is sunny and the ground is dry, but the moment we staple the first strand... monsoon. However, it is totally worth it when you are stopping traffic with your display of illumination! Oh wait, that is the family dog that escaped again, and people are trying not to hit him. One year, Webster, our dog, escaped the house whilst we were getting soaked hanging lights. A nearby traveling car stopped in front of the house and rolled down the passenger side window. The lady driving began to chew me out about not having the dog on a leash. I told her (tactfully) to mind her own business and keep driving. She continued to yell at me and said she was going to call animal services on us. I then said "Great, maybe they can catch him." We never heard from her again... no fruitcake, no card.... bummer.
My dad has had a break for the last couple of years do to having an apartment, but one of these days that will change, and I will be nagging once more!

And yes, the darn dog came back as he always did!