A town in Illinois is acting like Scrooges over a family's holiday lights.

I really enjoy all the outdoor Christmas displays. Not only, do many towns have official ones up for residents to enjoy but several homeowners have joined in on the fun. I am not talking just a few strings of blinky lights, they are doing huge professional-like exhibits.

It is so cool to drive up and down the streets of Rockford to check them out. It is not just here, it is happening all over the state, country, and world. Every day I see pictures, videos, and stories about a new one and how much neighbors love the Christmas spirit.

I believe we all needed some help getting into the holiday mood this season. We all need an escape from reality for at least a few minutes each day and a little bit of Christmas can help.

Unfortunately, characters like Scrooge and the Grinch are not just on television shows. Somehow, they have a way of working their way into real life which sucks. That is the last thing we need this year.

A family in Buffalo Grove, Illinois is facing their own Ebenezer but in this case, it is not just one grumpy person, it is the city leaders.

According to chicago.cbslocal.com,

"A homeowner in the northwest suburbs put up a Christmas light display just to put smiles on people’s faces, but he may shut down because he is now being told by the village that they are watching. So for Christmas, the village forced the family to get a permit. I was surprised why I needed to do it, but I was willing to cooperate, and I understand their concern about traffic, but they said I need to pay $50. "

Once they got the permit, the city said they could change stipulations and rules at any time including shutting them down and charging $80 to $90 per hour for police. Hello, Mr. Grinch.

I am not surprised because that is pretty typical for the government in Illinois.

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