Christmas Lights {Tradition}

 

Welcome back to Day 17 in WeNdYs WiNtEr WoNdErLaNd! 

Since I was a child I have been mesmerized by looking at Christmas lights!  Christmas lights twinkle like the stars in the sky.  Christmas lights glisten like the sun hitting wet ice.  Yes I believe there is something magical to these Christmas lights that are placed outside for all to see.

 Christmas lights bring JOY to many people!

This got me to thinking about the history of Christmas lights {so I did a little reading} and it turned out to be a bit different than I had thought!  I hadn't really thought too much about it, but after wondering I imagined the answer would be different.  I thought Christmas lights might represent the bright star in the sky above the manger or perhaps to imitate bright moonlight on the snow.  In the middle of the 17th Century people put candles on  their tree until an associate of Thomas Edison invented bulbs on a wire that used electricity.  Things progressed and business boomed after the White House {in 1895} put up the lights and the rest is history.  In time the lights moved from not only the tree but to houses and yard displays too!

Whether it be the light display of a large object...

or a yard full of moving figurines...

a simple lit Nativity scene...

 or even a lone cactus wrapped in lights! {This one was too funny not to take a picture of!} These Christmas lights are just plain fun to look at!

The hanging of exterior Christmas lights is a long tradition that I continue with my own children, at my home today. But this tradition has not always come easy for us!

Here is an example of what the garage of our old house looked like, and where the tragic Christmas light fiasco took place!   Me being the energetic holiday hostess had plans and a schedule!  So when Thanksgiving rolled around I had to have my lights up for my holiday season to begin.  Mr. C needed to get into action!  {Yes I let him eat turkey and enjoy the day but when nightfall came it was time to get to work!}  It kind of went down like this:  Husband on top of ladder - reaching to peak of garage to hang lights - aluminum ladder actually buckled - he falls backwards to ground - I made a quick jump out of way - and he breaks his fall by turning and landing on his wrist!  So you get the visual.  But wait it gets worse!  

I failed to tell you that I was well OVER 9 months pregnant and was as big as the house!!  So we rush Mr. C to hospital, needs surgery with pins in his crushed wrist - he is busy organist/pianist during holiday season and this is not so easy with a broken wrist!  Surgery was funny because at the hospital they didn't know who was being admitted.  Me or him!  He stayed at hospital a few extra days because of my situation and me not being able to assist him.  He came home and I went in two weeks later!  That baby waited so late because I couldn't deal with everything!   Painful recover on Mr. C's part with a large contraption built on his arm to stabilize and 6 months of physical therapy!  He never held the baby or took care of her due to his condition!

 The next year we move to a bigger home and Mr. C has never hung Christmas lights again!!  {My parents got him a very sturdy ladder for Christmas but I use it!  Funny thing is the roof peak above the front door is so high that it is 2 1/2 stories tall!  First two years I lived here I put light on all of the bushes only!  Finally got my friend to hang them one year but it was too hard with just a tall ladder.   Every light company that comes out wants to charge a fortune because the roof pitch is so high and they need to rent a boom truck!  Finally I meet a guy and his wife who own a light company and he is so good and just walks on the roof!  Yay!  I have lights once more {and every year since then they come the Saturday before Thanksgiving}!

Look at these blue lights!  My Mother used to have some and we called them her Hanukkah  lights! {She now has white ones}.

My neighbor next door has red ones!

Across the street my friend has done a wonderful display for me to view each time I pass by or look out my window!  One of my favorite Christmas traditions is that of hanging and viewing Christmas lights!  I love driving in a car full of people I love and listening to Christmas music while I gaze in awe and pure delight at my favorite Christmas lights!  Who doesn't love turning the corner only to see something so spectacular it takes your breath away?!  Magical!
  
Tonight was the first night we've had here that really felt like Christmas, as far as weather goes.  Cold with drizzling rain all day.  So by the time nightfall came it was a bit foggy with the drizzle still in place and the air getting colder!  Perfect night to drive around the neighborhood and look at the lights!  All of these pictures were taken tonight!  This was the view in my neighborhood!  What do the Christmas lights that you get to view look like?