Car accessories and Christmas can be fun, but as carsales contributor Shona Hendley puts it, there's a time and place for Christmas decorations and they shouldn't be on our roads.
When it comes to Christmas time, I do love to get into the decorating spirit. In fact, if I had the money and room, I would rival Mariah Carey as the Queen of Christmas (not trademarked of course).
But there’s a catch- I am a bit of a snob when it comes to decorations, specifically which decorations make the naughty list (i.e., are tacky) and which make the nice list.
For me, tacky constitutes anything inflatable (sorry giant Frosty and Santa), an overload of decorations in one area so much so that lights, tinsel and primary Christmas colours are embedded into my brain and well anything that is ‘funny’ because it usually isn’t.
While, generally, this has never been too much of an issue for me because these decorative choices were usually confined to a person’s home which I don’t have to see, I can easily escape if need be, but now though it’s different. Why? Because cars have become a literal add-on vehicle for Christmas decorations driving around everywhere it seems and now, I can’t escape.
When I’m picking up my kids from school, running an errand, or even visiting the doctor, there is nowhere I can go without seeing at least one car embracing its tacky Christmas spirit and bringing out my inner Grinch.
Now, there are definitely some of these vehicle accessories that are worse than the others, so, let me begin with the mildest form– the reindeer antlers and red nose.
The embodiment of Rudolph is probably the most common decoration I see adorning cars in December and despite my distaste for them, I can look the other way. You see, with the brown antlers poking up the top of the car and a red nose on the front, well according to my two children, “it’s cute.” And their in-unison coo at the sight of these reindeer hybrid cars well it takes the edge off my eye roll.
Interior car decorations are also in the same boat. Generally, unless they are excessively bright or big, I don’t see them and this I like.
So, if you want to cover your steering wheel with candy cane stripes or even pop a bobblehead Santa on your dash go ahead but if your interior decorations are visible from across an intersection (the case of a Santa face car seat cover I saw over the weekend) this has crossed the line.
Speaking of crossing the line – all of the below…
Any cars decorated as Santa, presents, or any festive-themed item. I am talking about actual bows on car rooves to look like a gift, or beards being positioned at the front of cars and red hats on the roof. Just no.
This also goes for what I like to call roadkill or creepy Santas – like the ones that look like they are coming out of people’s car boots which give me criminal vibes. Worse though are those life-sized Santas that are stuck onto people’s car fronts as if he has been struck in a hit-and-run. Not funny, just wrong.
While nowhere near as inappropriate as dead Santa, car decals are an area where people can definitely go way over the top with.
You know, those stickers of Santa boots at the sides of car doors as if he has been squished getting in, or Santa heads in windows looking at you as you sit innocently in the car behind. Or then there are the bright fairy lights and baubles which seem to follow the more is merrier rule (this is not the case people), or Grinches for those people who want to give the ‘I don’t like Christmas but really I do’ energy.
Now don’t get me wrong, Christmas should be celebrated, but my advice and a general plea to all – keep your decorations for the home where innocent road users like myself aren’t exposed and so I can keep my inner Grinch at bay. Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Keyword: Why car Christmas decorations bring out my inner Grinch