This date in Slice history (1996)

When early is too early: “Our neighbor, whose back yard is kitty-corner from ours, put up his Christmas lights this weekend,” Spokane’s Kevin and Michelle Robinette wrote a few days ago. “The display is rather large and includes a large star and full-size plywood Santa and reindeer. Upon seeing them for the first time, our 3-year-old daughter, Marie Elise, exclaimed, ‘Oh! Is that a store?’”