Power Crunch and Christmas Lights

* I must confess to a certain naivete regarding the power crunch that is impacting Southern California.

First, I read of impending meltdowns, brownouts, blackouts, etc. I visit stores that have turned off half their lights.

Then at 5 p.m. each day, hundreds of Ventura County houses are suddenly ablaze with Christmas decorations--thousands of blinking lights, even animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Is it impossible to simply have homeowners shut down this silly, wasteful holiday practice?

(P.S. Does a green bulb in our porch light count as a Christmas decoration?)

BOB KOCHER

Thousand Oaks