Make Your Decorations Tactful, Not Tacky, During the Holiday Season

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Okay, not yet, perhaps, but it will be upon us before we know it. And we all know what that means.

No, I'm not talking about the get-togethers, the laughter, the cheer, the delicious foods, or the presents. I'm not even talking about the horror of holiday shopping. What I am talking about is, (drum roll, please)...holiday decorations.

I am a big fan of festive lights and Christmas trees and pretty sprig wreaths. Nothing makes it feel more like Christmastime than a house nicely lit up with a picture-perfect tree in the window.

But there are too many people out there today that go overboard. Or don't try hard enough. Or are just completely clueless. So it's time for a little Holiday Decoration Etiquette 101.

First of all, look at the type of structure you live in. Your decorations should fit your surroundings. They should compliment your home. Think of decorations as accessories to your house. Would you leave the house with mismatched silver and gold earrings and a neon pink necklace?

Icicle lights have become all the rage in the past several years. EVERYONE has them. And not everyone should. Icicle lights should be reserved for big, Victorian-style houses. Since these houses are so large and grand anyway, they aren't overpowered by dangling lights. Trailers should NOT have icicle lights. This just looks dumb.

Net lights have also become very popular. I personally don't like them because I feel it's cheating. If you're going to decorate then take the time to really decorate, not just drape a net over your shrubbery. But if you, again, live in a large house with a large yard and have a lot of well-groomed bushes, you might be able to pull these off. If your house is located four feet from the sidewalk and you have three pathetic, little shrubs, forget about it.

And here's a tip on lights: No matter what kind you choose, make sure they are either all white, or the mixed color kind. No half-and-half. As far as I'm concerned, mixing white and colored lights together should be illegal. Segregation all the way!