This Christmas is off to a really weird start in the Coachella Valley

The Holidays are always weird in the desert – what with the lack of snow and an abundance of vacation homes and gated communities that don’t bother to decorate – but this year, things are off to an even stranger start than normal.

First, there was the news that the Simmons Christmas Light Show, a Cathedral City home known for a big synced light display that has appeared on national TV shows, was not going to happen because of some permitting issues and fees.

Losing a light display is a bummer, but now the Facebook page for the house is posting videos like this:

Not sure exactly what is going on there, but I know it does not exactly get anyone in the Holiday Spirit.

Then there is the saga of RoboLights, the Palm Springs home of Kenny Irwin that has been decked out in lights and sculptures made of spare vacuum parts for 30 years, which has been given 12 citations, totaling $5,550, by the city.  Officials claim the property is unsafe, as inflated structures on the roof might hit someone in the head if they were to fall.

The city says it is exploring legal options, while an attorney for Irwin told the Desert Sun, “We welcome this, we want our day in court.”  And nothing says “Merry Christmas” more than a lawsuit over an inflatable Santa.

I am not sure what the hell is going on with everyone in the Coachella Valley this year, but I do know that it surely is making you-know-who pretty happy: