Dimming the lights

I love the holidays. No matter where you are there is no better time of the year than Thanksgiving to New Years.

As the 2007 Holiday season comes to a close, I've noticed something.

Being Jewish, I do not "celebrate" Christmas. I am not going to get into why, or that anyone can celebrate anything, I'll save that for another time.

However, I enjoy the sights, sounds, and overall joy that seems to posses this time of the year.

It seems to me that people are celebrating Christmas less and less, at least visually.

I can remember the days when you could drive around town and see house after house decked out with lights.

My wife and I would drive around and "rate" houses on their display and use of lights.

Gradually it seems as if less and less people are putting up lights.

I take the train everyday back and forth to New York City I pass through a lot of towns. The lack of lights is evident.

Every year the PNC Bank Arts Center has a drive thru light display for the holiday. Its magnificent when seen from the Garden State Parkway. This year it seemed as if they only used half the lights.

As a Jew, I don't get to put up lights or deck my house out for any holidays. The closest I get to anything like that is Hanukkah when we put the menorah in the window. But that only stays illuminated as long as the candles burn.

I guess I have light envy.

I think, secretly, my wife thanks god every year that we are jewish because she knows what kind of damage I could do if I celebrated Christmas.

The way I see it: Yes the grass is always greener on the other side. The holiday season is a great time of year and although some people do not celebrate certain holidays, I feel we all enjoy the spirit of each holiday.