As the madness of the Christmas season approaches, an interesting test for Irish householders arises. With the brutal recession impacting savagely on spending, will Christmas 2009 see the demise of the gaudy lighting that afflicts seemingly every home in the country. This tasteless phobia was introduced from where else but America to Ireland about 15 years ago and has spread like a measles rash ever since.

Come the end of November, every house competes to put up the most neon in a vain attempt to create a domestic Las Vegas in the suburbs and countryside of Ireland. As the years passed and more money was available everybody added to their stock each year and no light was left unused, no matter how awful. The brighter the better seemed to be the motto.

Apart from the garish ugliness of it all, Ireland seemed determined to become leader of the carbon emissions race in their haste to light up their homes and offices for the festive season.

The recession in 2009 should be enough to put off any further purchases of lighting but will the enthusiasm and the neighbourly envy permit homeowners to actually not put any lights? People are struggling to pay their mortgage and put food on the table, so the excesses of Christmas lighting should with common sense be abandoned. 

Why not figure out how much you spend on such nonsense and give half to Focus, the organization for the homeless in Ireland, and keep the other half for 2010. Everybody will be better off!