A Plastic Holiday

When did a large plastic bubble with various objects inside become a symbol of Christmas? Ride through any neighborhood this time of year and you will invariably see a minimum of 3 tacky plastic bubbles with anything from Santa and his reindeer to a smiling snowman trapped inside. If these monstrosities aren't full blown and dominating the lawn, they are collapsed in a multi-colored puddle, just waiting for their chance to come to life.

Holiday lights, streaming garland and even the occasional lighted white reindeer slowly nodding his head create a festive holiday atmosphere. Trees and bushes draped with twinkling lights add a special glow to the season. Large plastic bubbles holding our favorite holiday characters hostage are the epitome of tasteless decorating. They are bad enough when they're full blown, but the absolute worst are the ones who haven't quite made it to full bubble capacity. One side is deflated enough so that Santa, Rudolph or both look deformed or inebriated. And then there are the bubbles that have blown over. Perhaps their owners haven't noticed or have left town for the duration, but these most often stay on their sides for days before being rescued.

The inspiration for these holiday decorating disasters are obviously snow globes. Lovely works of art that can bring joy in a variety of delightful ways, snow globes deserve better from us. Who hasn't had the pleasure of shaking one just enough to watch the snow fall? Or winding one up just to smile at the song hidden inside. For most of us, snow globes represent a simpler time a grandma's house, careful not to break, but irresistible to touch. Holding one can take us back instantly, warming us from the inside out.

How did we get from this warm, cozy memory to the giant plastic bubble towering over our children on the front lawn? Are we creating memories or nightmares of drunken Santa's trapped in a partially inflated globe of plastic? At first, the few plastic bubbles seemed an aberration, a mistake that would surely last only one season. Now they are everywhere, growing in numbers year after year. What are we thinking? It's true that holiday decorating is subjective and there will always be that one house using every light in three stores, but must we continue to condone and encourage these plastic monstrosities? It's time to take back the snow globe and put it on the shelf where it belongs.