Day 153 Holiday Cheer

Things have been busy around here, as is often the case once Thanksgiving hits and the holidays arrive.

I can tell I am overall feeling better because I am finally getting things done.  I've foregone the usual Christmas letter in lieu of personalized hand-written notes in the cards. I've contacted insurance carriers regarding COBRA and Open Enrollment (which currently ends this week). I've attended three doctor appointments, baked cookies, shredded and tossed a good three waste baskets of unneeded paper items, gotten Christmas linen washed and onto various table tops, painted the deck, and have been consistent with drinking my concoction.

I've lost two for real pounds, and my blood sugar overall is a WHOLE lot better - we're talking 130 for fasting.

Last night, a group of us (nearly twenty) rented a limo bus and toured town looking at Christmas lights. 

One of the ladies used to own this company, and when it was sold she maintained connections with the buyer.  We got a great deal on this ride.  We were in the bus for about three hours, going all over town.


Our organizer, did some research on some of the more remarkable places to see holiday decorations.  She got some absolutely fantastic destinations. One place had their Christmas lights timed to go with the music of a local radio station.  The lights were flashing like crazy and on first impression, most of us didn't like it.  That was until we realized it was flashing in time to the Trans Siberian Orchestra playing on the radio.

Two other places had holograms in their front windows.  One was of Santa Clause appearing and disappearing, sometimes holding gifts, sometimes waving.  It was so lifelike that we initially thought it was a person having some fun.  We stayed long enough to discern a pattern and realize it was some sort of specialized program.

The next house also had this sort of holographic image.  However, this one had a more unified "story" to display.  There were elves decorating a Christmas tree, then building toys, then forming a marching band to send Santa off to deliver toys from his sleigh.  The storyteller in me really appreciated this elf tale, and I'll be voting for it in the local newspaper, where they are holding a decoration contest.

The lot of us were suitably awed and amazed by the work and ingenuity that went into creating these displays.

Having dealt with depression all summer long, the Christmas lights reminded me once more of why so many people need to have light in their lives, both spiritual and physical.  With the time change last month, the darkness comes sooner and seems to be so much deeper.  I don't know how many times I've thought it was time for bed and it was only 6 or 7 o'clock.  These displays brighten the heavy ink black night and make the dark bearable.

So, if you are wondering if you should put some lights out, I'm giving you a resounding, "Yes! Go for it!"

Some homes just lit trees with the tiny white lights, others had candles, some reindeer, some variations on Santa, some nativity sets, some just hanging icicle lights. Some went with classic stories like Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch, or my personal favorite, Rudolph (the claymation with Burl Ives).  One yard had the infamous Abominable Snow Monster.  Made me smile thinking of Yukon Cornelius reminding us that Bombles bounce, and Herby the dentist making the monster less intimidating by removing his scary teeth.

We had a fabulous, extravagant night for a mere $25.  Thank you Helen and Millie for putting this together!