When is being greedy going to far? Last night I took my kids to look at Christmas lights, as we do several times a week during the Christmas holidays. The only difference was, this year three homes in the Tampa Bay area, near Adventure Island requested tips! The first home was had large heavily decorated yard, which looked nice, but nothing spectacular. Propped on the mailbox was a 2 gallon bucket with a home made sign attached that read “tips”. The home owner was sitting in a lawn chair, near the “tips” bucket, perhaps guarding it. To make matters worse he had a large life like snowman, that sang and danced. Of course everyone slowed down, with the windows down, because the kids enjoy this type of stuff. Once you did you were face to face with the home owner, and the “tip” bucket. I did not leave a tip, but could not help but notice that many other people had.
The second house was a little more bold in their tip approach. The house was small, and even though there were plenty of lights, the yard looked cluttered. This house was on a corner, where you had to stop for the stop sign. Once you stopped, a man with another 2 gallon bucket was standing at your window, with a sign attached that read “Please leave a tip for looking at our lights”. Again, I left nothing.
The third house was the worst of all. Not only was the house averagely decorated, but the home owner ran to your car window in a Santa suit with candy canes for the kids. His words were” I have candy for the babies” followed by “I hope you enjoyed our lights, please leave us a tip” as he held a jar in the window. Polity I answered “ I have no change on me”, which was the truth. At that point, he took his cheap mini candy canes back.
All three of these homes are within a few blocks of one another. What is the world coming to? I put up lights for the neighborhood, as well as my own kids to enjoy. I actually love it when a car slows down to look at them. Aren’t we supposed to spread Christmas joy? The only way I can think of to stop these holiday hum-bugs from suckering us into paying for lights, is to make it plain that we will not tip to see someone’s home lit up.
If they are doing it to pay the electric bill, my suggestion is to put up less lights, then you could afford it. If it’s to cover the cost of decorations, again put up less, or buy them at an after Christmas sale for the next year, that’s what I do. Nope, the only logical answer I can think of, is to sucker people into leaving a tip, because they don’t want to say no with the owner standing there. I find it to be repulsive that adults can be so greedy, and heartless during the holidays. I got a tip for those who want to charge people to look at there home, as they drive by. “Get the bug out of your rump, and enjoy the fact that the kids like your decorations, look for bright eyes, and smiling faces, not cash”.
