For A Certain Demographic, It's The Most Dangerous Time Of The Year

 Statistics show the last week of December sees the most drownings and bitten-off limbs in the Gingerbread Community.

Happy Holidays!

The Los Gatos Mega Xmas Mashup

 Alternate title: The Christmas Display That Almost Wasn't

We came across this very impressive installation whilst running yule-related errands; a corner lot chock-a-block full of seasonal pop-culture iconography. Besides Santa and the usual suspects, they've got the Polar Express Locomotive and Hot Chocolate Car, The Grinch's Whoville, Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the gang from Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Unfortunately the wonderful winterland has been a victim of it's own success this year. The hot chocolate car and the rest of the decorations were attracting big crowds, sometimes upwards of 700 folks a night. Town officials, citing code violations, demanded the removal of the hot chocolate car.

Deciding that they weren't going to let City Hall ruin their festive fun, the neighborhood gathered up almost 700 signatures and petitioned the Scrooges to allow a holiday exemption. 

And what happened then? Well, In Los Gatos they say, the authorities' hearts grew three sizes that day. They let things remain until New Year's...yay!