Christmas memories

Spring is the season closest to my heart really... with all the budding trees, the tulips and daffodils. All that promise, hope, and rebirth. I love Easter Sunday, with the redemption story ringing loudly in our hearts. And I chose a Spring wedding to Chuck so that we could celebrate our love new again each spring. Ooh- ooey gooey romantic, sorry about that.

But aside from the entire season of Springtime... Christmas has to be my favorite time of year. Those few short days and nights when everything you see is bedecked and bedazzled with lights, sparkles and bows.

And all the Christmas cheer and charitable feelings. It restores my hope in humankind to see how generous we can be with giving opportunities like Christmas Shoeboxes, Salvation Army bell ringers, and toy drives.

Oh, and the marvelous Christmas carols ringing through the air... I love singing along to Christmas music on the radio, in church, and going caroling with friends. You'll most often catch me humming a carol this time of year, for sure.

And most of all, the sparkly Christmas lights on every house. That truly fills me with happiness.
I remember as a little girl, I loved helping my dad hang the Christmas lights each year. We would spend hours making plans on how high we could go this year and beat last year's height, how many strings it would take to make it around to the back side of the house, and whether or not we thought we had enough lights to go around the deck railing once, or twice.

I was so proud to help him... Dad manned the ladder and used the staple gun to string the lights up, and I held the box of c9 bulbs we would screw into each socket. It was also my job to make sure we followed the right order of colors, so no two consecutive bulbs were the same color.
Each evening during December as the sky grew dark it was time to turn on the Christmas lights. Together we would walk around the house, checking for burnt out bulbs and admiring our handiwork. It was chance to hang out just the two of us, and I really enjoyed both his attention and sharing something we both loved.

I especially looked forward to Christmas Eve and the next day, when the lights were turned on for the whole night and day.

Nowadays, I get to help Chuck and Pat put up the lights each year, and it's become a fun time for the three of us to share as well.

Each year we go shopping for new items for the yard, to see what's new and what we might like to have grace our Christmas display. This year we purchased some new reindeer and trees... and I think Pat's looking to update the nativity scene maybe for next year. Once the plan is in place, the three of us spend at least an afternoon or two setting everything up, Chuck climbs the ladder to string lights on the roof and we run a mile or so of extension cords getting everything plugged in.

Here are some photos from this year (so far- it's still a work in progress!) and year's past. The photo in the blog header is actually from 2003, the year Chukani first met, way before I ever dreamed I'd one day live here!


Merry Christmas to you... and take time this rushed Christmas season to slow down and enjoy the Christmas lights in your neighborhood- or maybe even in your own front yard.