SO, WHY DO WE HANG CHRISTMAS LIGHTS?

Ten years ago there were half as many people installing lights on their homes.  Its sort of a funny thing you know, to pay money to have these lights on your house for a few months.  Our whole community transforms into a light show for 6-8 weeks.  Have you ever stopped and thought about why we do this? 

There is the obvious; to make our house look festive. But I think its more than that.  If the sole motivation was to support conformity with celebrated Holidays, I think there are a lot of rule followers out there that would be sticking a boat load more Easter bunnies and Leprechauns in their yards come Spring. 

You know what I think this whole Christmas light frenzy is all about? I think it comes from the kids that had great memories during the Holidays and now are adults.  I am one of them. The Christmas lights are so much more than decorations, they are symbolism and a handy trigger to crack wide open some of our most beautiful memories.  

30 years ago while thrashing candy cane paper off boxes of soon to be broken plastic toys at my grandma's house, I had no idea how great that space of time would later be remembered.  In the early 90s when the general parental over sight was at an all time low, the cousins and I would gang up and get into all sorts of Christmas mischief.  We would take grandpa’s four wheeler, drive through the neighbors fields and shoot bottle rockets at each other. The parents all chatted it up inside about who had the smartest kid completely unaware of the outdoor escapades.  There was this thick connectedness between all the aunts and uncles and cousins that was special. The bottle rockets made it even more special for the cousins with the wow factor.  

There were always more pies than food.  The best was taking small slivers of lemon merengue, chocolate meringue and pecan pie and creating the ultimate sugar coma.  There was always a lightness in the atmosphere.  A simplicity.  Lots of conversation about last year and next year, Uncle Elvis’ belly getting out of control in spite of his spindly legs, and just talking to connect.  There was no sense of time, only connecting and being.  I am not sure if that was the 90s or how I remembered it as a kid, but goodness sakes I find it hard to replicate that these days.   

When I see Christmas lights, I see and feel my roots, where I came from.  I think about some of my favorite moments and some of my favorite people who are not with us anymore.  Its like the inescapable symbolism on everyone's houses are demanding me to pause and remember and maybe even slow down.   

Not everyone has those rosy memories of Christmases past.  Remembering our past Holidays good or bad can have the same conclusion however, towards valuing what we have here and now with a heightened fervor.  If your childhood sucked, well that might be great news for your family and friends now. I'm guessing you are the absolute best person to make sure theirs is so much better. (I never have won any compassion awards. )

I think we hang lights to trigger our senses to refocus on what’s most important. No matter if you give your Christmas memories a 5 star or a half star, we may all be wise to slow down and carefully think on the vast riches we have this season because of the loved ones we hold most dear.  So yeah, plaster your home with lights and think about that favorite aunt who taught you how to drive!