Richmond's crazy, wacky and possibly barf-inspired holiday lights

• The look is simple: multicolored, mismatched strands of lights, artfully arranged as though someone barfed them out a second story balcony or up a Dogwood.

Why it matters: Whatever they're called, these lights seem to be unique to Richmond (based on our internet sleuthing and informal polling).

Zoom out: The best we can tell, this style originated in the Fan, likely dangling from the neighborhood's ubiquitous patios before making the jump to trees.

• It's possible it started because the decorators didn't want to drive nails into historic facades, as one Redditor speculated in 2021. Or it's simply the natural fusion of the city's art scene with its classic low-key grunge.

The latest: While the style still dominates in the Fan, it's long-since made the jump to the counties and can be spotted illuminating suburban yards from Chesterfield to Hanover.

• There's even a local lighting design company that will do them for hire.

The bottom line: No matter where you put them or what you name them, it's definitely a Richmond thing. And we call it style.