bogeyandruby

Sometime after October 31st, lawn-decorating enthusiasts everywhere replace their Halloween inflatables with Christmas inflatables.

Anchored in the ground, they stand proud and taut, bobbing in the wind, in all their air blown glory.

I pass these smiling, cartoon characters every day when I’m on the road seeing home care clients, running errands, or en route to my mum’s residence. There are jolly Santas, with or without the reindeer, smiling snowmen and penguins, a Grinch here and there and at one house I drive by regularly, a full-blown nativity scene that takes up their whole front lawn.

I did a bit of research into what makes these things blow. Home Depot recommends: Learn how to care for holiday inflatables, so your family and neighborhood can enjoy your displays for years to come. There is a whole page of instructions on how to care for your decorations. For example, you should unplug them after eight hours so that they don’t overheat and if they stop working during bad weather, you should take them inside to dry out. Uh, sounds a lot like that one friend or family member who always parties a little too hard and ends up sleeping it off.

Before long, these inflatables begin to tilt and lilt, become unmoored, lose their air and lie recumbent. Is it just me or does anyone else find the sight of deflated inflatables to be totally depressing at this time of year? Not that I am a fan of anything inflatable. For instance, you will never catch me carrying a bunch of helium balloons on a windy day or riding up, up and away in your beautiful, your beautiful ballon.

The Collins dictionary defines deflated as:

1. having lost confidence, hope, or optimism

2. voided of air or gas; not inflated

I think both these definitions apply when it comes to these dreadful decorations.

Here are a few examples from today’s errands.

Inflatables on display behind a glass enclosure. Is this supposed to make me feel merry?

Two more days ‘till winter solstice …