Lights

There is no contest. Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. I love that it is about gratitude, family, and food, and not about gifts. Okay, so it’s mostly about the food. Mmmm…turkeeeey. However, when it comes to a “feeling” about a holiday, it has to be Christmas. There is a magic in the air that is tangible. You can’t go anywhere in town without feeling the warmth all the way into your bones. You can describe Christmas in every sense; the taste, smells, sounds, feelings and sights. If you break it down, for me, Christmas tastes like sugar cookies, smells like mulled cider, sounds like Dean Martin singing a classic Christmas carol, feels like a warm fuzzy blanket, and looks like a wealth of twinkle lights. The true magic comes from the lights. One of my most vivid childhood memories is driving around Enid, Oklahoma with my dad, mom and big brother, looking at all the Christmas lights. We would go to big, fancy neighborhoods and ooh and aah over their elaborate displays. The car was warm, the spirits were happy, and the music on the radio was cheerful. There was no reason to feel anything but happy in that moment. While dating, Travis and I did the same. We’d stop and get Starbucks and drive through the Avenue of Lights, a local light display that had music, moving pieces, and lights, lights, lights! We also did this for my Grandma’s last Christmas and it is a memory I will treasure for a lifetime. She had never seen a display so big, especially one that you could literally drive through. The look on her face was priceless. Now, with children of my own, I want to continue this tradition. The Avenue of Lights is no more, but I want to put them in the car in their jammies with a blankie, turn on some Christmas music, stop and get hot chocolate for Mommy & Daddy, and just drive. What is it about twinkle lights that make me so happy? They are wire, glass, and electricity, but somehow they are so much more. Every year, I have a picture of the kids with the tree. I dim the room lights and let them look at the ornaments. The glow on their faces from the lights matches the glow of Christmas magic…and my heart grows three sizes. I will always believe in Santa…and the Grinch.