I know what you mean by towns/villages trying to be festive and ending in disaster. In my town they put "bells" up but they look more like big blotches of tacky red and yellow. Half of them are burnt out and yet they still continue to put them up for the last 15 years. It wouldn't hurt them financially to just put up something new this year --- something that's holiday related and actually has working lights!
The next town over in both directions do it better...makes our town look tacky.
I like that there are blue lights for people who celebrate Hanukkah and want to to add lights to their house, but I know what you mean about the glow.