Electric Avenue

' Tis the season to be psychotic.

People will begin doing this (as pictured above) very, very soon. Some people who live in houses and have more property will put up Christmas lights, decorations and music on every square inch of their domain. I always wonder what the hell their neighbors think when "O Holy Night" is blaring on loud speakers at eleven o'clock at night accompanied by a strobe light show, just like on the first Christmas.

The balcony above is in Elmhurst, Queens, New York and hangs off a small apartment. The family's electric bill doubles every holiday season when they plug in this mess.

According to the NY Daily News: "It's a Colombian tradition," said Jason Cardona whose parents moved to the United States two decades ago and have erected the outrageously holly jolly scene ever since. "Every year we update the toys and lights. Every year is different."

I'm sorry. How is that even possible? Do they have vast electrical resources to draw from in South America? And if so, is it even legal to have taste as bad as this, not to mention the huge waste?

I thought craziness like this was strictly an American invention.