Forget the Lindburgh baby...
It was our first Christmas in our first house. Filled with the spirit of the holidays, DH & I embarked on a journey to the holiday mecca-- AKA, Lowe's Home Improvement. We bought wreaths, we bought bows, we bought lights, we bought lighted candy canes, and we bought this:
I'd always wanted one, but my mom swore these massive holiday inflatables were tacky. I couldn't disagree more. I think they are fabulous fun, so DH & I invested $100 and bought the one you see above. It was awesome. Not only was it taller than me, but the Santa and Snowman you see moved, alternately popping out of the igloo to wish "Season's Greetings" to all passersby.
DH & I (ok, ok, mainly DH... ok, only DH) put all our holiday decor into place as soon as December hit. And then, just a few days later, the thieves hit us.
They struck in the middle of the night when visions of sugarplums danced in our heads. They stealthily parked on my lawn (how do we know this? They left tire tracks that, if you look at the grass from just the right angle, are still visible today). They snatched my giant, inflatable igloo from its grounding stakes and got away, stealing my Christmas spirit right along with it.
When I woke up in the morning and took Ducky (then just a puppy) outside for her morning walk, I knew something was different, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't until I saw the orphaned power cord, left behind during the commission of this crime, that my sleep-hazed brain realized what had happened:
I was devastated. I called in sick to work, only telling my bosses I'd been the victim of a robbery (they were probably envisioning something far more brazen than what had actually happened); I called the police, telling them I wanted to file a report (they told me stuff like this happened all the time, and while they would take a report, the chances of finding my pilfered decoration was highly unlikely); then, I called my mom and cried like a baby (she said she couldn't understand why anyone would want anything so tacky, making me sob even harder).
Why would anyone do something so hurtful in the midst of what is supposed to be a time of goodness and generousity? For days, I forced DH to scour all the neighborhoods in our area, searching for our purloined inflatable igloo. I had dreams of what I would say, what I would do, if he hit the jackpot. He never did. I had to come to grips--
--it was gone for good.
The only thing that got me through was the thought that maybe, my massive Santa and Snowman and their igloo home had ended up in the yard of a young child, who would enjoy it even more than me. A child who had no idea their father/brother/uncle/friend had stolen my Christmas dreams to make theirs come true.
In the years since, we've never replaced the snatched snowhouse. And I don't plan to. Quite honestly, when the so-called "Grinch" stole that single decoration, he stole a lot of my faith in my fellow man right along with it. That thief's heart might have already been cold, but he turned a part of mine to ice as well.
Hopefully it will
one day melt.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 17, 2009
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Hey, What a cute blog!
Stopping by from SITS!
I would love for you to come and by and visit me too. Make sure you bring your hot chocolate because it is FREEZING cold!
Glad I found your blog!
I can't believe someone would steal your Christmas decorations!! What kind of person does that?
Man that sucks!!! We bought a blow up penguin last year and put it up this year. Luckily it's still there. We live in the country so that probably helps. BUT I hate hearing that a Grinch made your heart cold a little bit!! I'm sure G will help melt it this year! :D
That's horrible! I can't believe somebody would do that. What a shame!
A heinous crime of the highest degree. Stealing one's yard art is a violation of the soul.
Tacky is just another word for special.
That's terrible! What is wrong with people? Last year I went outside to put the kids in the car for preschool and I noticed that my reindeer had fallen over so I went to go put him right side up then I saw it...he didn't fall, he was placed...behind the female deer, strategically placed...doing her up the...Ok you get it! Hard one to explain to the chitlins...
Just doing a little blog surfing via SITS and stopped to check you out today. I'll be back soon. I'm digging what I see.
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner?
www.MaWhats4Dinner.com
People are horrible! I just noticed a notice on the grocery store bulletin board with a request for help to track down the perpetrators who vandalized someone's front yard creche display.
Oh, that sucks! I bet it was the same people who stole our snow blower. What is WRONG with people!
There's not a good way to say it! THAT is a whole lot of SUCK! I mean, really? To steal the ornaments from the yard?
Yep, pretty Grinch-y.
What a terrible thing to do. That is so sad that someone would be so criminal during the holidays.
Nothing takes your Christmas spirit quite like that. I truly hope that karma got them.
Karen
Sadly, it is believable. Society today is not what is used to be. The only thing you can do if some one does the unthinkable and steals your lawn ornaments is to pray for them. As hard is it may sound.
I know how you feel though. I have one inflatable polar bear that I worry about every year. We have been putting him on the lawn for 5 years now, so if they stole the yellowed bear, I wouldn't be as sad about it. I know that my kids would be pretty devastated which would result in another inflatable purchase.
Wow, that is really awful. You are wrong, that person's heart was not cold, that person was HEARTLESS. There is no reason good enough to take something that belongs to someone else. I'm so sorry, I'd be terribly upset as well.
That's horrible! It drives me nuts that people do things like that.
When I was young my friends and I would move things around in people's yards late at night, but stealing something was crossing a line. Sometimes we would move garden gnomes around, and occasionally we would move snowmen. But then we would do nice things like leave snow angels for people. I like to think that made up for the redecorating we did.
Agh! How horrible!!!!!
That sucks! And it makes me angry on your behalf. :o(
How terrible. It's amazing what some people will do. I've heard stories where people have gone in and stolen Angel Tree or Toys for Tots presents. We can only hope that they got into good hands in the end even if the means sucked.
My bet is it was some teenage boys, and you are right.. they gave it to a young brother who sits and stares out the window at it every. single. night.
Aw man, what a crummy thing to have happen!! Unfortunately I'm not suprised. Some people seem to have lost their sense or morals and right and wrong. What they don't realize is that when they do things like this, it permanently ruins someone elses spirit too!!
Hopefully you will be able to put nice decorations out again someday!! Dont let them keep your holiday spirit down too long or they win!!
THat story was awesome. I cannot believe someone did that.
the comment from your mom was priceless!! How could you not have laughed at that????
Wow, that's gutsy to not only steal it, but park their car on your lawn! Our neighbor has a big snow globe thingy like that and I can see it from our back window. Kind of neat to look at.
Scrooges!
Tamara
www.theunexperiencedmom.com
What kind of jerk steals Christmas fecorations I am so sorry =(
That's just terrible. Maybe 'what goes around, comes around' is true and they will get what is coming to them. I like your idea of imagining that a yound child somewhere is still enjoying it. I am going to go outside now and inventory my decorations to see if any of it is missing! Oh, and as for the Grinch, "What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
That's so sad and mean and ugly! I think you should get a new one though..:-) Show em who's boss!
Have a great day!
keely
You really have to wonderr about people. We live in a strange and sad world (and I, too, would have cried like a baby)!
Buggars! I hope Santa's reindeer's leave a nice treat in their stockings..if you know what I mean! :)
Shane
I would have been in the car driving around looking!
Unbelievable, not really! I would feel like you, that it is now at the home of someone who wouldn't have had anything like that had an adult not steal it. I do wonder, how that adult is going to feel, down the road, when his children steal toys or something from a store. Does he not realize that he is setting an example.
We recently had childrens chairs stolen/taken from our property. Who and why when there was other things of greater value?
Definely the Grinch.
AWwwwW that is too sad. I would have been devastated too! When one tries so hard and works for his or her things.... for some jerk to come and steal what does not belong to him or is not owed to him its disgusting! I'm sorry that happened to you.
If Santa doesn't bring that person coal, karma will kick their butts. I am sure of it.
One year for Easter, my husband built a cross and put it in our front yard. I found a vine with some crazy long thorns and fashioned a crown. I draped some purple fabric on the cross and hung the crown in the middle. Someone stole my crown!!!
Hmmmm... Mr Plum across the street with the hedge trimmers. That definitely stinks.
I've been robbed before too. It is so disheartening.
Maybe next time you could get a huge Grinch for your yard then if it's stolen it would be a grinch stealing a grinch. OR booby trap your next display with a paint bomb or something... Okay, just ignore me. :)
That is HORRIBLE!
JERKS!!! Just keep in mind that they will get their karma when the time is right. You might not ever know about it - but they will know why...and maybe you might even get the igloo returned.
~WM
I'm so sorry this happened to you! People can be so mean!
Man! What a shame! I had a flower pot stolen from in front of my house. I'm sure they stole it for the pot but I really loved that flower. :-(
Just remember karma!
Lame. It'll come back to them somehow, if it hasn't already.
My friend had those light-up reindeer. The neighborhood teenagers rearranged them so they were mounting each other. Nice.
Nothing worse than a dirty filthy stinking thief!
I hope the Grinch that stole from you gets scabies!
That's terrible, some people just don't have any morals anymore.
That is terrible! What the hell is wrong with people sometimes??? BTW, thank you so much for the kind words about me and for reading my interview. You are awesome yourself girl!
That's horrible but I can believe it. Why are some people so heartless? Last halloween someone stole our pumpkins from off our porch. This year, they saw the inside of the garage until 31st.
Oh that's just awful! I'm sorry to hear that there are such stinky people out there that they'd do something like that at Christmastime.
So glad you stopped by my blog to say hello. I'm just lovin yours. And your little one is so cute! I'll be back soon!
Aww I am sorry some stole it from you, that is so crazy! I like the way you told the story though, you had me cracking up!
Oh that is so sad. What the hell is wrong with people! Even if it was for some kids whos parents couldn't afford it or something, they could have been taking it from some other kid. It still does not make it right!! That really stinks! I am sorry. I hope you are able to find the christmas spirit again!
I would be so mad if someone did that to me!
Oh my Elizabeth I'm so sorry!
Thank you very much for your sweet visit my friend. You are always welcome anytime.
Many blessings to you and yours this joyous season! ~Melissa :)
That is terrible!!! My neighborhood is filled with the inflatables, which I think are cute, but I always wonder how they manage to NOT get stolen! It obviously does happen and that is such a bummer that it happened to you!
I have to admit that the part with your mom cracked me up. She sounds JUST like mine. HA!
-Aimee
www.aintyomamasblog.com
No way! What the heck is WRONG with people? What a terrible story...although you did tell it beautifully.
I have a sweet spot for most holiday inflatables. I think it's when people with essentially no yard try to cram 5 of them together out front of their house that it becomes tacky. :)
That story makes me so sad. Who on earth would do something like that?? That's just mean =-(
That's horrible!
That is awful! I personally probably won't ever buy an inflatable, but I can't believe someone would run around stealing them... at Christmas time, no less!
Oh Honey, I'm so sorry. I know how it feels to have someone steal your stuff. My car has been broken into quite a few times and it breaks my heart every time. I try to think positively too, maybe it went to someone who needs it more than I do. I just hate that we have to pay the price.
this is sooooo sad! I would have been devastated also!
this is the most sad and touching post i've read in a while...wishing you and your family a merry x'mas!
I read some of the other comments and that some say "I can't believe..." Sadly I totally can believe it. There are just too many morally bankrupt people out there. Just this morning, my husband did a gift giving for his sales team. One of his reps didn't make it in. She is about to move to another state, had all her belongings in a POD (mobile storage) in her front drive and someone broke into last night. Not only did they steal most of the valuable things, they trashed (spraypaint, etc) what they left behind. How's that for ruining your Christmas spirit. It sickens me.
Wow that is terrible. What is wrong with people? I would have lost faith in the goodness of mankind also. But just remember while there are bad people that do bad things there are many more good people doing much more good things for others. I believe that serving others might help in melting that ice? :) Have a fabulous Christmas Season!
How awful! Lucky me, I live so far back in the woods, there is no need for lawn decor. The kids are happy with a few lights and window clings. It does make me wonder though, if whoever stole it could really enjoy it at all, knowing they stole it. I hope not.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting and for the well wishes.
Hugs
Dawna
www.akissandapeck.com
WHAAAAAAT???
Oh I would have reacted just the same way! In fact, I'd be pretty inconsolable :( I'm so sorry that happened -- I hope that your lost faith gets restored. Don't let those nasty people ruin Christmas for you!
How unbelievable that someone would pull onto your lawn to steal your Christmas decorations! I have never heard of anything like that. It takes time to get over things like that, but hopefully your faith will be restored one day.
Oh no, how sad someone stole that! I think inflatables are totally tacky, but wonderfully so! We hope to have quite our fair share when we move into a house with a larger lawn!