Seeing the Light(s)

School is done for the year. There is hope that I may be ready for Christmas on time.

I love Christmas traditions. My parents always took us out to ooh and ahh over the decorations that folks put up. Then it was just those big colored lights. My grandparents had a huge white star with blue tips on their ranch house and it was considered so unusual and special.

Now there are huge snowmen and twinkling snowflakes and Happy Feet penguins. And icicle lights. I love it all! There is no such thing as overkill in my book when it comes to Christmas.

We took our own children out to see the lights, especially the incredible displays in Hidden Valley, apparently created especially to see how much they could run up their electric bills.

Tonight my sweetie and I, with the pup in tow, drove up to Evergreen to see their lights. I'm always uplifted and inspired by their displays. They band together and light up trees, fences, rooflines, doorways in red, green, blue and white. They have delicate reindeer and snowglobes and big red bows. It all looked like a North Pole Dreamland shining on the snow.

Our house will never win any awards for Christmas decorations, but it has lights shining out into the blackness. And every single house in our little cul-de-sac has lights somewhere. We feel so lucky to have great neighbors. They are one of our blessings.

And speaking of over-the-top light displays, check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmgf60CI_ks