The sun slowly sets over Santa Maria. Cars pull into driveways across the city.
Families sit down to eat dinner.
With the flick of a switch, a thousand points of light blaze into existence. And Santa Marians want everyone to know it. From tasteful to tacky, each year men, women, and children adorn their houses with all that glitters. Otherwise sane people start stapling literally thousands of lights to the outside of their homes. Wire reindeer and plastic Santas seem to spring up from lawns, garage roofs, and chimneys.