INFLATABLE HOLIDAY DECORATION

The holidays aren’t nearly as simple as they once were. Gone are the days when a few lighted bulbs on an outdoor spruce tree constituted holiday decorations. Nowadays many yards are fully decked out for Christmas with an inflatable holiday decoration.

You’ve seen them and were probably just as stunned as I was the first time I drove by one. The inflatable holiday decoration I saw was a giant Santa Claus complete with his sleigh and reindeer. It was several feet tall and just as wide. It looked very much like a life size balloon, but it became obvious fairly quickly that this inflatable holiday decoration ran on more than just some hot air.

When you go to purchase one you may be surprised by all the equipment that comes with it. In order to inflate the inflatable holiday decoration you need a pump. These pumps run constantly on electricity. You attach the pump to your inflatable holiday decoration and it quickly fills with air. In order to keep it filled, you need to keep the pump running.

In the evening before you head to bed, you simply switch off the pump, unplug it and watch your giant snowman or igloo deflate. As quickly as it filled with air, it will lose its air. It’s actually a great feature as you don’t have to spend the night worrying about whether or not someone is going to come along and puncture your inflatable holiday decoration.

What amazed me the most about these life size creations was how small they become after the air is taken out. When the holidays were over I was dreading the task of trying to find a place where I could store the inflatable holiday decoration until next year. I envisioned having to clear off an entire shelf in the basement just for the decoration alone and another few feet of space for the pump. The inflatable holiday decoration itself actually fit into a small cardboard box. I put the pump in the garage and didn’t have to think about it again until next season.

I must admit that I was somewhat concerned about holes. The material used in the construction is actually quite thick but it’s obvious that it can develop a hole. Over time and with the constant filling and emptying of air, the inflatable holiday decoration is bound to become more brittle.

The manufacturers obviously had this in mind when they first designed them because the package that it came in was equipped with a mini fix-it kit. Inside the kit was a clear rubber patch along with some clear glue. If a hole does spring up, I simply have to clean the area, apply the glue and cut a piece of the patch to cover the hole. Since the patch is clear, it’s not going to be noticeable on the inflatable holiday decoration. All in all I’m very happy with the purchase and I have to admit, my kids absolutely love watching it inflate each and everyday.