Merry Christmas, or April Fools Day?

Ahh, Spring. It’s an explosion of color and lushness. I just love walking through my neighborhood at this time of year, when yards look like this:

I have always loved this house, just a few blocks from my own. I always slow down to admire it as I walk by, and keep looking at it as I turn the corner to the side, still admiring… when I see THIS:

OK. I realize today is April Fool’s Day. But as this Christmas wreath has been hanging there since, well, Christmas, is this REALLY a joke? What are these people thinking?

Don’t get me wrong — I don’t mean to unfairly single out anyone, because there’s MORE — also within walking distance of my home:

You’ve really got to admire how the blossoming trees frame not only the wreath, but the GARLANDS, with PINE CONES. Pine cones, remember, come out in the fall. Remember? The FALL.

It’s Spring, people. My neighborhood is full of more appropriate regalia, such as Easter-egg or spring-flower wreaths, or flags with bunnies on them (ok, that’s another post for another day, so we’ll leave that one alone for now…)

Didn’t your mother tell you that red clashes with pink? Let’s back up a bit here, just to put a VERY fine point on it:

The mint-green siding and merlot door trim are bad enough without the red/pink thing going on.

Who ARE these people who don’t take down their Christmas decorations? I asked our postman, who was also doing his rounds yesterday when I was on this sojourn, and he just shrugged. This is a guy who’s seen it all, so nothing really fazes him anymore. He did point out that his dad also has his wreath still up. “But he left for Florida right after Christmas.” Well, there’s that I guess.

But I’m pretty sure these neighbors are at home. And I know this person must be at home, because his Christmas lights were still on in the sunny mid-afternoon yesterday:

Sigh. I think it’s even worse that they tried to center the ribbon inside that rotting frame — it just makes the whole effect more tragic — even back during the real Christmastime!

What’s disturbing to me is that, if I can find three houses within walking distance of mine that are still decked out on April Fool’s day, I’m sure all of you out there can ALSO find at least one example nearby. That adds up to a lot of tired, outdated decorations. And believe me, it doesn’t do anything to honor Santa.

Please — put dear old Santa out of his misery. He’s tired, and he wants to go home (or the attic, whichever comes first).