by Marcy Buzzelli

Created on: November 07, 2009

Why do some people think that decorating your home for the holidays only means the Christmas season? Surely you have had a neighbor whose home is adorned for many different seasonal occasions. You know the house I mean! As soon as the Christmas wreaths, snowmen, and twinkling lights come down, a Valentine's heart is hung on the front door and cupids appear in all the windows. This holiday-oriented house will surely have a colorful banner waving from a flagpole for each holiday.

Depending on the residents of the house, various ethnic nationalities will be celebrated throughout the year. Obviously, St. Patrick's Day on March 17 for the Irish and St. Joseph Day on March 19 for the Italians are major holidays with significant celebrations attached to them. If the residents of the house include both Irish and Italians, there will be a battle for which flag will be hoisted up the pole for the longest length of time. A glass of Guinness or Chianti usually will help settle the debate!

Moving through the year with neighbors who have a large closet dedicated to holiday decorations is an adventure in itself. Easter will bring out the bunnies and plastic eggs hung from all the trees. Of course, the door wreath and flagpole will be changed with each passing holiday. If you drive by this house that changes decorations with the season, you have to wonder about the storage arrangements inside the house. And you have to wonder if the inside dcor changes with each holiday! Do the homeowners do anything but celebrate each new occasion?

The Fourth of July brings out a flourish of red, white, and blue, which is quickly followed by back-to-school banners in August. Halloween has a yard filled with inflatable ghosts, witches, and goblins, to be replaced with turkeys and a cornucopia for Thanksgiving. Needless to say, Christmas is a major decorations extravaganza for the neighbor-with-too-much-time-on-his-hands. Usually before all the leftover turkey is eaten, the decorating demons will converge on the front lawn to string the lights and put up the "Santa Stops Here" signs.

As if decorating the home for the traditional occasions is not enough, these holiday harbingers, also seem to make up additional holidays or celebrate regional events throughout the year. Usually these homeowners are also avid sport's fans and have flags and banners to hang whenever a "big game" occurs because to them it is another day to celebrate. An event like the Indianapolis 500 to a race fan is absolutely a major holiday and deserves checkered flags lining the walkway.

By now you have probably come to the conclusion that decorating for the holidays does not just mean Christmas. If you think outside the box, you will discover that every month offers numerous holidays that you should be celebrating by decorating your house in an unique way. Or, better yet, just enjoy the neighbor who announces each holiday for everyone else!

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