Monday, November 29, 2021

I Saw the Light

 

Let me tell you about me and Christmas.  I'm not good at it.  Christmas is a skill set that I just do not posses.  A few years ago, I let the world know that I had given up.  I don't like a lot of Christmas things and I am old enough where I feel I no longer have to pretend.

Yes, I do appreciate parts of the season, especially the Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men thing.

That brings us to decorations.  I love looking at Christmas decorations and I have a great time photographing them.  I have no skill for, and no desire to decorate myself.

I kid you not.  My Christmas decoration consists of unscrewing the white light bulb on the front porch and replacing it with a green one.    Fun, festive, and fast.

That brings us to today's topic.

About a year ago, a local chain of hardware stores advertised a bulb that alternates between red and green!  Beauty!!!

I visited two stores in this chain.  None in stock.

Around Independence Day, the chain advertised a bulb that switches from red, to white, to blue.

Same story.  None in stock.

Making things worse, the staff at both stores was full of excuses, and was unfailingly unapologetic.

I'm a letter writer, and I came very close to firing off a missive to management.  Hey, if you don't have it, don't advertise it!  Plus, stop blaming the "national ad" for the snafu.

It is said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome.  Call me crazy.

Last week, it was another newspaper circular, and another ad for the elusive color changing bulb.

I stopped in a store, affiliated with the same chain , but owned by a different local company.  None.

I went to a store run by the horribly unapologetic people.  None.

I resigned myself to another Christmas with the plain green bulb illuminating my front porch and sidewalk.  Decorative, but I hoped for more.

Amazon was no help.  Ordering one on line, from another supplier, promised delivery AFTER Christmas.  Thank you, very much.

I did click on one thing and it said another store in the shoddy and unapologetic chain had some in stock, and I can reserve an order for pick up.  I nearly fell out of my chair.  Not being greedy, I ordered just a couple and waited an eternity for the confirmation return email.  It finally arrived, and I was in the car to secure my treasure, even if this particular store was several miles out of my way.

The confirmation email said I was to visit the store with my order number and picture ID.  I arrived, parked, went to the register, told the clerk my name and I was there for my bulbs.  They were in a bag and I was out the door in seconds.  No order number or ID required, which disappointed me.  I didn't anyone snatching my bulbs before I got there.

The bulbs are still in the bag.  I'm one of those people who doesn't like to see anything Christmas related before Thanksgiving.  I'm a mid December decorator.  By the way, I had an orange bulb on the front porch for that late November holiday.  For Halloween, I used a blackish purple one.

2021:  the year I "aced" Christmas and took decorating up a notch.