When my husband was a child, his family had a neighbor that went all out decorating his house for Christmas. Alan said people from all over the city would go to see the neighbors’ lights, and he told that one day he would have a house like that.
After 5 years ago, he finally achieved his dream. We now have the most festive and brightly lit yard on the block. Each year we add more decorations and each year we have more and more people coming to look at our house. He feels such joy watching everyone enjoy the lights and spy Santa in the upstairs window! Music synchronized with the lights is played on a special radio station. The parents say their kids make them come by everyday so they can see what Santa is doing that day! Alan even goes to hand out candy canes to everyone that comes by.
Unfortunately, this joy comes with a price…both monetary and physically. He takes the whole week of Thanksgiving off to assemble it all. We even pay handsomely to have tree trimmers come out every year to trim the trees enough so you can see Santa. Hours are spent on ladders hanging icicles from trees, and hunched over in the attic getting it all down.
Click Here to see a short video of some of the songs that play
While Alan’s outdoors decorating, I do my part inside although admittedly nowhere near the extravaganza outside!!
To top off the pre-Christmas tradition, I start the baking. Over 30 years ago, I started making Christmas cookies using some recipes from my grandma, some from my mom, and a few of my own. Raising 6 boys, I always had to make plenty of cookies to be able to feed their collective holiday sweet tooth and have enough left over to give some to family and friends. As the years passed, my boys grew, married and had kids of their own. Needless to say my quantity of cookies had to increase as well. I still make 7 different types of cookies, but now the total is a whooping 480 cookies every year!! I don’t know how I accomplish this year after year but I think it’s with some Christmas magic.
I know one day my husband and I won’t be able to continue these all these traditions, but we feel so blessed to be able to complete another year! Merry Christmas!
