I agree with a more subtle approach. It is a time where people are set off by many different things due to the stess of the situation. You can go to
www.webpagesthatsuck.com and get an overview of what a LOT of people think. Be careful. They can be brutal with their honesty. There is a lot of good information and Vincent Flanders wrote the first books on webdesign asthestics! I always check here for articles and how-tos.
Cheers,
Betsy