How do I start to explain to DS that we are NOT having lights on the front of the house because it is very bad taste?

[PeaMcLean]

He's asked three times already.

Ah I was going to wrte a sarky post on the lines of stop being a meanie and let him enjoy Christmas without worrying about snobbery

Then I saw your name

So now I will just say dont be a meanie and let him enjoy Christmas you very nice person who knows where I live

Just say "no"

if he asks why say

"just because. I'll take you to look at the other peoples nearer the time"

if he pushes the issue tell him it's because of all the electricity they use (or something).

or make something up about not being allowed them on your hosue because it's the rules

Taste be darned!
Festoon away whilst the Christmas magic resides in your house.

how old is he? just tell him its common

Yes peachy, you have to be nice or I'll come and stick a flashing reindeer to your window

Anyway he refuses to have lights in his bedroom as an alternative. Now that, according to him, is soooo embarrassing. But all over the front of the house, no problem!

global warming.

or have some in the back garden?

Tell him you don't like them on your house but you are very happy to look at them on other peoples. OR cite environmental reasons, my 4yo could easily understand a simple "too much electricity harms animals/ice caps" when I put it that way. (and I still pay for it now whenever I turn anything on )

Ah Pea, dh would strip it down and turn it into something infinitely less tasteful in minutes LOL

You can do tasteful christmas lights surely?

We just have clear ones on the trees at the front of our house and some icicle ones above the front door.

agree if he's old enough just tell him it's because the look shite lol

And he wants snow paint on the windows

It started off by him asking how easy it was to clean paint off windows. When I said "well it depends, some are ok, depends on the paint" he knew he'd cornered me and I couldn't use removal problems as an excuse. Crafty bugger.

you havent got any lights?

it is in very bad taste?

it is far nicer to enjoy other people's decorations?

or just Because I said so

See, Kerry, I thought Xmas was about the Ickle Baby Jesus. And I seem to ignore him quite successfully as well

Fake snow does horrid things to paint and PVC (or at least it used to and there is no good reason for you to tell him that it has got any better )

But seriously, this is your home, you get to decide this! Just say no, he can have as many flying/climbing/flashing things as he likes when it is his house!

tell him you are not that sort of family.

he can make snow flakes , blu tack them all over the walls - he'll like that.
and lots and lots of glittery pictures. all over the house

At this time of credit crunch/recession & people we know not being able to afford to keep their children warm - I think it is very bad taste to have Christmas lights

Electric costs loads

Unless they are solar I guess but they are still fairly conspicuous consumption

Just say 'no'.

Pea - you'll be wanting these people then here
Actually we've got some of their lights and agree you can do it tasteful without 10ft homer simpsons

Ah but KM people work in the christmas light industry and need jobs so it helps in that way- better to keep people in jobs than 'empathise'.

Ok - then buy the lights but on no account turn them on & waste electric