How Christmas Inflatables Took Over Everyone’s Yard

If you’ve driven through any neighborhood in December, you already know it’s a matter of time before you’re face-to-face with a 15-foot Santa Claus.

In the last decade, Christmas inflatables have totally taken over everyone’s front yards. What used to just belong to string lights is now a rapidly growing industry of blow-up Grinches.

But how did we get here? And more importantly, why do people love these things so much?

A (Surprisingly Recent) History of Inflatable Decorations

If you assumed inflatables have been around since the dawn of time, prepare to be shocked. These decorations are actually relatively new to the scene.

The craze traces back to Gemmy Industries, a Texas-based company that was once best known for creating the Big Mouth Billy Bass (yes, the singing fish!). In 2001, they debuted their first Airblown Inflatable: an eight-foot Santa that, admittedly, looked a little rough.

From there, the designs got bigger, wilder, and way less likely to collapse. As the designs improved, their popularity skyrocketed.

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Gemmy was quick to license every brand under the sun: Star Wars, Peanuts, Disney. Today, Forbes estimates they make around $40 million a year in revenue.

By the early 2020s, shelves that used to be dominated by twinkle lights suddenly belonged to inflatables. Marketplace reported retailers shifting from mostly lights to mostly blow-ups.

Why Everyone Loves Them

Yes, inflatables are campy. But their popularity makes sense when you consider a few factors:

1. They’re ridiculously easy to put up.
2. Storing them away takes very little space (you know, since they deflate.)
3. Everyone loves the spectacle, children and adults alike!

But Yes, There Are Safety Issues

Sorry to be the fun police, but it’s important that we discuss the less exciting aspect of these inflatable decorations:

• Noise and light pollution: That constant hum from the fan and the all-night glow can drive neighbors a little feral, especially if you leave them on 24/7.
• Wind and weather troubles: A poorly secured inflatable can end up three houses down or wrapped around a tree like a festive ghost.
• Electrical risks: This is the big one. There have been a handful of documented fires sparked by overheated motors or overtaxed outdoor outlets, including one in Napa Valley that turned a poor inflatable into unrecognizable ash. Moral of the story: plug wisely, monitor occasionally, and don’t cheap out on extension cords.

Love them or loathe them, Christmas inflatables are officially part of the holiday zeitgeist. As long as Americans wish to show off without putting in much work (so, forever), these decorations will show up year after year in suburbs across the country.