Bright lights and nativity scenes tell the story of Christmas
When I put up Christmas lights this year, I made sure to use the kind of lights that reminded me of what I saw as a kid, driving down neighborhoods oohing and aahing through the back windows of the family car. You know the kind. Big, multi-colored, egg shaped lights.
Every Christmas, dad would drive us four kids through the streets of our small town. They were organized squares where alphabet avenues intersected with numbered streets. The houses close to each other, and during those days, mostly lit in celebration of the season.
When you are a poor kid, just driving around and seeing bright lights in the shapes of reindeer and snowmen is something worthwhile.
I grew up in a single-wide trailer. One long rectangle with only a swamp cooler sitting on to give it some character. Mom didn’t put up lights at Christmas time. Instead, at the center of every window, she sat a single candle. Since then, no matter what house she has lived in, the candles are up at this time of year.
There is beauty in simplicity. There is also beauty in gaudiness. And there is no better time of the year to go a little over the top. To take time to dig through dusty boxes in the garage. To take out your frustration in untangling endless green cords. To realize that each year you need to add…
