It’s beginning to look a lot like … well, the early weeks of December, where the hard core Christmas enthusiasts already have their halls decked and the rest of us are coming out of our Turkey Day comas long enough to realize we better get in gear. It’s not much longer now until my favorite holiday tradition can be celebrated. It is non-denominational and inexpensive, and can be either raucous or genteel-your choice. It’s the (say it with me now) “Super-Fabulous Christmas Light Extravaganza Spectacular,” and it’s wonderful.

Here’s how to mark the holiday. Pick an evening, your favorite Christmas CD (I recommend “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio) and whatever lucky nearest and dearest you like. Stop at a coffee shop long enough to gear everyone up with enough yuletide treats and caffeine to last them the evening. Then begin driving through neighborhoods looking at light displays until you’ve crowned:

The Most Beautiful Display
The Kilowatt Cup (The one that makes you say “Do the Griswolds live here?”)
Best Technique (a.k.a. the “How Did They Do That?” award)
Most Avant-Garde (or Clueless) Award.
Most Religious
Most Sacrilegious
Most Old-Fashioned
The “We’ve been planning this since March” Award
and the Most Spirited Neighborhood Award