It is the norm in my parent's neighborhood, and I suspect many people are spending a lot more than $500. There are a lot of crazy light displays--words spelled out on roofs (or an entire scene from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, in one case), waterfalls constructed out of lights with reindeer drinking out of a pond at the bottom, a gingerbread house surrounding by candy and gingerbread men all out of lights, etc. It seems to have become a competition, and I suspect some people are spending thousands in order to have the "best" house. (My parents throw some white twinkle lights on the hedge themselves and call it a day.) It can get pretty ridiculous. That said, I see no issue with spending $500 to outsource something you don't want to do yourself if you can afford it.
I know a woman who pays a decorator to put their tree up and decorate it. Her kids have never hung an ornament on a tree or had a handmade ornament hung on their tree because they didn't fit the theme.
I was thinking about themed trees when we were decorating yesterday. We've got lots of random ornaments, and I love it. Each of our moms got us a handmade ornament to commemorate our first Christmas together, and we have lots of ornaments from places we've traveled. I can't imagine being so uptight that I wouldn't put handmade ornaments on my tree.
Post by simpsongal on Nov 26, 2012 12:05:26 GMT -5
DH and I just spent the entire weekend putting up our lights (each of us spent 15 hours in the cold spread out over 3 days). Not only did it require a lot of high ladder work, but it takes forever. I enjoy it, but honestly, I could see paying someone to do it for me. If we ever get too tired/busy, we'll just throw them on the bushes.
I have a friend who owns a construction co and he hires out his guys for lights if work is a little slow in late fall. They are way cheaper than $500 and you have to provide the lights, but I'd totally hire it done if I had a high roof. They have the ladders, safety equip, and knowledge to hang out on roofs three stories high. I do not.
Post by kateausten on Nov 26, 2012 12:15:31 GMT -5
If I had extra money laying around I would totally pay someone to hang our lights. DH and I decorated outside this weekend and it was a pain in the ass. The whole time he was up on the ladder I was praying he wouldn't fall.
We probably should hire someone now that I think about it. With my bum shoulder and his bum back and knee we make a great team. :/
I know a woman who pays a decorator to put their tree up and decorate it. Her kids have never hung an ornament on a tree or had a handmade ornament hung on their tree because they didn't fit the theme.
I was thinking about themed trees when we were decorating yesterday. We've got lots of random ornaments, and I love it. Each of our moms got us a handmade ornament to commemorate our first Christmas together, and we have lots of ornaments from places we've traveled. I can't imagine being so uptight that I wouldn't put handmade ornaments on my tree.
I totally agree! I judge people who are so worried about appearances that they won't put their kids' handmade ornaments on the tree hard. The whole fun of putting up the tree is the trip down memory lane from looking at all the ornaments you have acquired over the years.
I'm sorry, but childcare, a clean home and even lawn care are necessities of a sort. You can do them yourself or you can pay to outsource them, but they need to be taken care of. Christmas lights are utterly frivolous and paying $500 to have them installed by someone else does show that you have more than enough money. Way more. Just because you pay for it or know someone who does doesn't make it any less extravagant. More proof that MM is the 1%.
I'm sorry, but childcare, a clean home and even lawn care are necessities of a sort. You can do them yourself or you can pay to outsource them, but they need to be taken care of. Christmas lights are utterly frivolous and paying $500 to have them installed by someone else does show that you have more than enough money. Way more. Just because you pay for it or know someone who does doesn't make it any less extravagant. More proof that MM is the 1%.
Very few MMers are in the 1%. I think if anything, it proves that you don't have to be in the 1% to have enough money to think that some luxuries are worth $500.
On the other hand... Granted, I don't have a house or a yard or any of that, but I can't imagine wanting to put up enough lights to warrant a $500 expenditure. Christmas lights can be lovely, but I think they're a less is more thing. The elaborate light shows and themes and all of that stuff seem kind of tacky to me? I wouldn't want people in my neighborhood doing that stuff?
But at any rate, if people want to spend $500 on things like that, it is certainly their business and I don't think the price is unfair compared to the time and safety concerns involved.
I guess I don't have a problem with paying for this kind of thing in theory, but I think $500 is really expensive. $1500 is just insane. I just can't imagine why it would cost this much unless you want to do some elaborate setup that takes many hours to do. We do a fairly minimal amount of lights on our house, but it usually takes me about 1 hour to do it all. I don't go to the roof though so I can see that taking longer, but still not enough to warrant a $500+ fee.
But, there are probably a lot of things people pay for that I think are ridiculous, so whatever.
Does this also include taking them down or is that another $500? I think I'd rather pay someone to take things down. I feel like decorating is fun. The take down and clean up isn't so much fun.
My SIL does this. She also uses a service to decorate her ginormous (16 ft tall) Christmas tree. Her kids had their own tree in the kid's living room to hang their handmade ornaments. They're both teenagers now, so I don't think they care about their tree anymore.
She's in one of the very spendy parts of SoCal though, so her cost is far more than $500.
Post by mollybrown on Nov 26, 2012 13:58:14 GMT -5
If I wanted Christmas lights up, we would have to pay someone. It took my H 3 weeks after we moved to put my son's bed together, and there was no way I was touching it since it was from IKEA. There just isn't enough handiness or motivation between the 2 of us to ever get it done. I don't want lights $500 worth, though.
There is a house in my neighborhood with crazy, synchronized lights that basically cover the entire house. No doubt it was professionally done. We drive by there regularly (along with lots of other cars) because my kids love it. I can see paying someone if you wanted to go all out and be THAT house.
I always do our lights. I have excellent balance and the patience to keep the lights from tangling. I'm side-eyeing all the comments that if H won't do lights then it has to be hired out. Christmas lights is firmly in the decor category for me, which is something I care about and H doesn't.
I would do it if I had a lot of money and a huge house. Ladders are scary. But I would only pay for it if I had money to burn - otherwise I would skip decorating altogether.
Post by mrshabious on Nov 26, 2012 15:21:49 GMT -5
Do you give the side eye to someone who pays to have their lawns done or house cleaned? Same idea. In the past we've put up our own lighting but am considering doing it next year. I have several fractured vertabrae and will not climb up on a roof. DH has back issues and I would rather budget for someone else to do it versus him.
Having said that, I can get it done for $100-$150.
Post by lurkergirl123 on Nov 26, 2012 16:39:16 GMT -5
A great many of my neighbors hire this service out. As a matter of fact one of our neighbors gave us a flyer for the folks that decorate/light his house every year. It looks terrific. They only charge about $100 though.
We won't partake, but I don't judge anyone for doing so.
I'm sorry, but childcare, a clean home and even lawn care are necessities of a sort. You can do them yourself or you can pay to outsource them, but they need to be taken care of. Christmas lights are utterly frivolous and paying $500 to have them installed by someone else does show that you have more than enough money. Way more. Just because you pay for it or know someone who does doesn't make it any less extravagant. More proof that MM is the 1%.
. LOL at MM being the 1%. How is paying $500 for Christmas light installation any different from blowing $500 on the host of other wants that Americans blow money on- including the 99%?
I don't care if someone pays to have their lights put up, but I am kind of wondering about all the people saying that a fall off a ladder will cost more than the $500. Do you or your SO never use a ladder for anything, then? To me, this is much more shocking that paying for holiday light installation.