We’ve been in the house for 4 1/2 years, we have two children and the time seemed right. There are @ 50 lights strung around the gutters on our front porch. One end of the lights start at the outlet down by the ground, and goes up to the gutters. i don’t liek it but didn’t know how else to do it. My wife bought an extension cord and a timer and just got home, and we’ll plug those in tomorrow and it’ll all be ducky. I am sooo into the spirit now. 
I have a crap load of those icicle lights. You know, the ones that everyone else has now.
I haven’t put them up for a few years but I’m thinking about it. The first year I did it I took my kids outside to show them and they were like “yeah, cool” and ran back into the house.
I’d like to think of a different way to do it though. Maybe I’ll line the entire roof with them or decorating a giant tree would be fun.
I could do the neighbors house when they’re at work instead of my own and let them deal with taking them down.
I put mine up today. I spelled out “SANTA R00LZ” on my lawn. I also bought the bourbon and Ho Ho’s to put out for him on the big night. I found out last year that rum and Twinkies don’t get you the goods.
Last year, I suggested to my teenage son that he should leave out pizza and a couple of bimbos for Ol’ Saint Nick, but he never did do it…
And I fell asleep on the couch and left them on all night, just like I knew I was going to. Nothing like consistency.
<puts vunderbob back on the Nice List>
Try it again this year. Even if the Big Red Guy skips your house at least you can still have fun with the pizza and bimbos. Not only did I find out that the rum/Twinkie combo doesn’t get you presents, it gets you a fat drunk passed out in the fireplace. Try explaining that to the 911 operator.