It's Christmas

Here’s our little Christmas tree, (just over a metre tall), all decked out and looking good; a few gifts piled underneath. This tree cost less that $10 last year  -  actually $9.95 from a discount store. Its decorations are a selection of little things we have collected over the years.
Outside, the top of our veranda is encircled in little lights that we have had for quite a few years -  and some palm trees around our pool have (solar powered) tiny lights glittering around their trunks. These lights cost $24 (via eBay) from Hong Kong.
 We’re happy with our Christmas efforts, but I feel we may
  have to “up the ante” next year as the more we venture out, the more we see coloured lights (many flashing) and inflated Santas on every second roof, along with reindeers, snowmen (yes, even in roasting-hot Australia!), wreaths and all manner of lit-up gardens, pathways and entrances. Some places are bordering on competition with the vision in Chevy Chase’s ‘National Lampoon Christmas Vacation’. (Who can forget that?)
 Oh dear. In comparison, our effort looks very meagre indeed.
 Time will tell if we can resist the temptation to ‘join the throng’ next year and go a little  overboard with flashing lights and enormous confronting decorations, or whether we’ll be satisfied with our usual offering. 
Perhaps just one more set of Hong Kong lights around the pool?

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