Christmas Eve

December 24 - Christmas Eve
How did you and your family spend Christmas Eve?

When I was growing up Christmas Eve was usually a long boring day. If there was snow we'd go sledding down the side yard. (Our house was built into the side of a small hill.) If there wasn't snow we'd watch TV or read. In the evening we'd make sure that our stockings were all set and leave out a plate of cookies and glass of milk for Santa.

In later years I'd either hang out with friends and maybe go to Mass with them or else I was working.

John's family had a tradition of celebrating Christmas together on Christmas Eve. Everyone made sure that they had the day off and they all gathered at the home of his sister, Ann. John has three siblings and each family had three kids plus his step-mother and her mother for a total of 22 plus anyone else that may have been brought along. Everyone bought for all of their nieces and nephews and the women exchanged Christmas ornaments.

We'd see my family either later Christmas Eve or on Christmas day depending on the visitation schedule with my ex.

In 1989 we moved to Akron but we still came back every year for Christmas Eve. In 1994 everything changed. We moved back to CNY but my brother and two of John's siblings moved out of state. Two of Ann's kids moved away about that time too. Christmas Eve was moved to my sister-in-law, Marie's house. It was about that time that my mother and sister started joining us on Christmas Eve with John's family. I'm not certain which year Christmas Eve moved to our house but we hosted for several years. At some point our best friends started joining us. They are family to us. 2001 was the last year that we saw the extended family at Christmas time. Ann had moved back to CNY and several of the nieces and nephews were able to come home for the holiday. I think that year was the best steal bingo year we ever had.

Christmas 2001 with extended family, Liverpool, NY

We found ourselves transfered again in 2002. Amazingly, my sister, mother and all of our kids and grandchildren came out to spend Christmas Eve with us. Some stayed over and others traveled down and back the same day.

Christmas 2002, Akron, NY

In 2003 we all traveled to my sister's in Ellisburg and we had a great time! The weather cooperated so we didn't get snowed in. We all love to party at Country Girl's but it can be a long, miserable drive in winter.

Christmas 2003, Ellisburg, NY

We moved back to CNY in 2004, and as there are just the two us we bought a small house. Christmas Eve was at our house and although everyone had a great time things were a bit cramped. So the last two years we had our party at PJ and Jae's. It has gotten progressively harder to find a time when everyone can be together. In 2006 the Christmas party was held together with the big birthday party on the 16th so Christmas Eve was a bit sad for me last year.

Christmas 2005, Pennellville, NY

Christmas 2006, Pennellville, NY

This year PJ & Jae have separated. Bean and Country Girl both offered to host but I decided it might be easier if I just hosted an open house this year. BJ has to work and PJ probably does too. He and Jae will be sharing the girls so this way we can be sure to see them. Country Girl and Mom can come early if the forecast for lake-effect doesn't change. Bean can work around the kids nap times. And if everyone shows up at the same time that will be OK too.

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Our First Christmas Eve

December 23 - Christmas Sweetheart Memories
Do you have a special memory of a
first Christmas present from a sweetheart?
How did you spend your first Christmas together?

John and I had been dating about nine months at Christmas. I still had my place and he had his. That first Christmas Eve he came over (after dropping PJ off at his ex's) and helped me put together toys for BJ and Bean. They weren't the most complicated toys so it was a pleasant evening spent together. All these years later I don't recall how we spent Christmas day or even if we saw each other Christmas day, but I'll always remember that Christmas Eve.

Christmas 1982

My kids and I moved into John's house the following year and there were many more years spent putting toys together. This year will be our 25th Christmas Eve together but we have no plans to assemble anything.


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My Advent Calendar

December 22 - Christmas Grab Bag
Author’s choice.
Please post from a topic that helps
you remember Christmases past!

This is my Advent Calendar. I made it in the early 1990's when I was a member of Limerick Home Bureau in Akron, NY. The women in that chapter were wonderful to me and made me feel welcome when I was new to the community. Many of the ornaments on my tree were also gifts from this group of women. I've been a member of several different chapters and I am a past chairman of both Orleans and Onondaga Counties but when I think about Home Bureau my fondest memories are of the Limerick group and our meetings in an old one room school house.

My kids would alternate days adding ornaments to the tree. These days I'm a bit senile so when the grandkids come they update the tree to reflect the correct number of ornaments for me.


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My Christmas Music List

December 21 - Christmas Music
What songs did your family listen to during Christmas?
Did you ever go caroling?
Did you have a favorite song?

Being a bit under the weather and behind on just about everything I offer this repost from December 22, 2006 on my other blog.

I love most of the music of the season. My list is quite eclectic! By no means all inclusive, here's a few to check out.

I've already mentioned that I love Bing Crosby, especially White Christmas and The Little Drummer Boy.

The Oakridge Boys - Thank God for Kids (I don't know the family in the video but how sweet!)

Blue Christmas, I prefer Jon Bon Jovi but most of you will think of Elvis.

Happy Christmas, John Lennon Still dreaming of World Peace.

Let There Be Peace on Earth, Vanessa Williams - a mini theme here

Bells Will Be Ringing, The Eagles

The Little Saint Nick, The Beach Boys

Snoopy and the Red Barron Chistmas This was my kids favorite when they were young. The kids at work love it too.

I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas From my childhood. Go ahead sing along!

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Elmo and Patsey - this one is pure fun.

It's Christmas Time in Syracuse, Benny Mardones. I couldn't find a link and I guess you'd have to be from here to like the song. Bean and I have been to see Benny together, the only concert we've been to together.

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Christmas and Deceased Relatives

December 20 - Christmas and Deceased Relatives
Did your family visit the cemetery at Christmas?
How did your family honor deceased
family members at Christmas?

My family has no traditions in regard to the departed, at any time of the year. I know this year we'll be thinking about Aunt Margaret, who passed away on December 23rd last year. She is the only one that I can think of that died close to the holiday. In any year where there has been a loss there is some sadness and reflection.

Every year I do think a bit about my Grandpa Berry when I go shopping. He was a tough guy to buy anything for. If he needed something he bought it. He had no hobbies. So every year we bought him Old Spice or another tie that he did not need. Many years he wouldn't even open his gifts when we were there. In 1981 I found myself broke and trying to get my shopping done at the last minute. I went to Woolworth's and they had men's sweaters with suede elbow patches marked way down and they were just the type he always wore. I figured he didn't really need another one but I could afford it so I bought it. I figured he'd be disappointed by my gift choice again.

Grandpa was not a demonstrative man. He would accept hugs but he never gave them. After he opened my gift that year he got right up out of his chair and came and gave me a hug. He was thrilled that I had taken the time to think about what he liked and what he might need. I know he gave me a gift that year, probably much needed cash, but I really don't remember. I wish I'd told him that that hug was the best gift he ever gave to me.



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Christmas Shopping

December 19 - Christmas Shopping
How did your family handle Christmas Shopping?
Did anyone finish early or
did anyone start on Christmas Eve?

My father rarely allowed my mother to drive his car so we frequently took the bus to Syracuse to shop. I don't remember her buying Christmas gifts when we were with her but I do remember the big department stores downtown at Christmas. She also did a lot of catalog shopping. When my brother and I were in school I imagine she went shopping with my grandmother or her friend who both had cars.

I wrote about my Aunt Ruby while back. She would shop sales all year round and keep items on shelves in her basement. In October she'd go downstairs and pick out gifts for us and mail the package off. Mom would put the box in our basement until Christmas. It was hard waiting two months not knowing what was in those packages. She always wrapped her gifts in white tissue paper and I spied one of her gifts when I was going through old photos.

Christmas 1971

When I was in high school I worked for Cooks Dept. store and was able to shop for presents myself. Being able to buy gifts with money that I had earned made me feel like an adult. I would spend hours at the mall with my friends and pick things up as I could afford them.

I still love to give gifts but I'm not nearly as fond of shopping. This is the first year in recent memory that I didn't do the majority of my shopping online. There was a time when most of the shopping was done by Thanksgiving. With six grandkids to buy for now I'm not quite finished yet this year! I have just a couple of things to get tomorrow. For my kids I go the gift certificate route. The surprise is always where I'll decided to get them from as that changes each year. We also have six December birthdays to shop for and I always try to get them done first.

John and I will not shop for each other until after Christmas. We'll make a day of it on 26th and see what after Christmas bargains we can find.



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A Very Special Christmas Stocking

When I was 20 and a day I received the special gift of a baby boy. He arrived three weeks early, weighing only 6 lbs 8 oz. He thrived and grew rapidly and all was right with the world.

I found myself pregnant again, before my body had fully healed. My due date was BJ's birthday, December 17th. It turns out that all was not as right with my world as I had thought, my husband was seeing someone else. I struggled both physically and emotionally for most of this pregnancy. Around November 10th I was taken out of work and told the I'd have my baby "any day now." Things at home continued to be stressful. I was still in a fantasy world that we could work things out. BJ had more than made up for his low birth weight and was in no hurry to walk. Somehow I managed to strain the ligaments to my uterus. My back hurt constantly. I fought just to get through each day.

December 17th came and went. The doctor continued to say any day now. Sonograms were not performed back then but the baby's heart beat was strong. I finally went into labor in the early evening on the 24th. On Christmas day we went to my mother's. His family met us there because we weren't sure when we'd have to head to the hospital. Gifts were exchanged, everyone had a nice dinner (I had weak tea) and my contractions continued. We watched the Bells of St Mary's and my mother got progressively more nervous. Finally about 5:00 we left for the hospital. That Christmas day was the coldest on record; I can still remember the pain of the cold walking from the parking garage.

When we got to the hospital I got the same nurse that I'd had the year before and she was absolutely wonderful. I had a birthing room and my husband promptly fell asleep in the recliner. I told the nurse to leave him. My doctor was not on call on Christmas so I got the other doctor from the office who I had only met once before. He was nasty to me and worse to the nurses. When the baby was finally ready I was told not to push because the doctor was having cookies and eggnog. I requested the intern but the doctor did arrive in time for the birth (but not in time to perform an episiotomy.) Just after 9:30 I had a perfect but tiny baby girl. Bean weighed only 6 lbs. 1/2 oz.

Phone calls were made. I was moved to my room and my husband went home. Bean was moved to the nursery where the nurses slid her into this stocking. There were only three babies in the nursery and they all looked so cute in these stockings that had been handmade by a hospital volunteer. We stayed in the hospital three wonderful days. I missed BJ but I had been so worn out that it was wonderful to have all of the nurses and other staff dote on us. I had learned the year before that before Christmas the maternity ward is packed so that everyone could be home for Christmas.

The first sign of the trouble that lay ahead came on our third day when it was evident that I would not be able to nurse. For the next six months I wasn't sure that she would survive. She lost weight. She was allergic to the formulas we tried. A soy formula was the best available alternative at the time and she only kept down a small part of each feeding. She slept around the clock and had to be awakened for feedings. I kept her right next to my bed and checked on her several times a night. At her six week checkup she had gained very little, the newborn clothes still too big on her. She was anemic and I had to take her for regular blood work. They'd stick her tiny foot while I held her and cried. When she was four months old my husband finally moved in with his girlfriend. One burden had been removed and things got a bit easier for me. She started to stay awake more and keep a little more down, including the iron supplements. In June she finally turned the corner and started to grow and play and thrive.

She continued to amaze me as she grew into a womanhood. She always fought for what she believed in. She never gave up on anything. Today she is married, has her own business and two children of her own.

Someday I may pass this stocking on to her but for now it is mine. It once held the most precious Christmas gift I ever received.

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Christmas at Church

December 17 - Christmas Church Services
Did your family attend religious services
during the Christmas season?
What were the customs and traditions involved?

When my brother and I were in the choir we would have attended Christmas Eve service. I loved being in the youth choir! I looked forward to rehearsals and I remember how special I felt when we walked up the special stair case from the basement directly into the choir loft. Other than that I don't remember anything special or different at church. I'm sure that there were special things going on in Sunday school. I remember a huge, wooden nativity scene in front of the church. Dad did much of the woodworking for the church but I don't know if he worked on that or not. For a few years we had Advent Candles on the table that we lit each week. My memories of church are clearer of Easter services than of Christmas.

I no longer attended church services except for weddings and funerals. Most years I think about attending one of the local Christmas services but I never do go. I've been let down too many times by organized churches so, for now anyway, my relationship with Him remains a private one.


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Christmas at School

December 16 - Christmas at School
What did you do to celebrate Christmas at school?
Were you ever in a Christmas Pageant?

We made ornaments and sang carols. There were music concerts but I don't remember any plays or pageants. There was always a small gift exchange the day before vacation.



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Our Fireplace

December 15 - Christmas Grab Bag Author’s choice.
Please post from a topic that helps you
remember Christmases past!

Everybody knows that Santa comes through the fireplace and so we had one made of cardboard. The pesky detail of a chimney didn't concern us one bit. It was put together at about the same time that we put up our tree. I can't remember when we stopped putting it together but I'm betting that it is still up in Mom's attic.

Christmas 1966

There was a little light behind the logs with an aluminum thingamajig that spun around with the heat from the light and giving the illusion of a fire. Does anyone else have one of these? The first ads I've been able to find for them are from the 1940's when they cost about $1. Christmas 1971

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Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?

December 14 - Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?
Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes?
Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake?
Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?

We have received a Fruitcake or two over the years. We did re-gift them, we took them to Mom's. I have no creative uses for them but I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up with.

Not having much to say about Fruit Cakes myself, check out the Independence Fruit Cake Festival. Don't miss their Fruit Cake Sayings including this one from Johnny Carson

"There is only one fruitcake in the entire world,
and people keep sending it to each other."
Johnny Carson

They will also be opening last year's time capsule:

PLUS: The Fruitcake Time Capsule from last year's Festival will be opened. The Fruitcake King will select an official taster. Then the Fruitcake Time Capsule will be sealed for all Eternity (or until the next Festival - whichever comes first).

And finally, my favorites, the Fruitcake cartoons.





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Christmas and the Arts

December 13 - Christmas and the Arts
Did your family attend any special events
or performances during the holidays?

We have attended many Christmas concerts at school over the years. I sang in the chorus and later was in the band. All three of our kids were in the band. These days all the local schools have a day leading up to Christmas where they perform at the mall and I usually drive a group of kids down each year.

Our favorite thing to do in December is to catch the Christmas performance by the Acme Mystery Company at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Syracuse. They do murder mysteries all year long but in December there is a special holiday show where nobody dies but you still have a mystery to solve. The audience gets to participate and we always have a great time.

This time of year is always so busy and the weather so iffy that I'm more likely to see a play or concert at another time of the year.


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Charitable/Volunteer Work

December 12 - Charitable/Volunteer Work
Did your family ever volunteer with a charity such as
a soup kitchen, homeless or battered women’s shelter
during the holidays?
Were you able to make the holidays special
for someone less fortunate?

During my years as a Girl Scout and later as a Camp Fire Leader, Christmas Caroling at nursing homes was an annual event. As was making tray favors for nursing homes and Meals on Wheels.

I have never worked at a kitchen or shelter at the holidays. Home Bureau was a huge part of my life for a number of years and through that organization I participated in many community service projects, the majority of which were centered around nursing homes. These projects were year round, not just at holidays. When I was member of the Thursday Limerick, Too! chapter in Akron, NY we would adopt a unit at the Erie County Home each year making decorations and then helping the residents decorate their unit. We also picked up little gifts throughout the year that were distributed throughout the Home to those without family. We also made items for the nursing home in Batavia, NY.

I'm no longer a member of Home Bureau but I still believe that community service needs to be done all year. My projects center more on the young and the sick these days. I'm not committed to any one group or cause, rather when a need presents itself I do my best to fill it.

I'm grateful to the wonderful people at Echo Meals on Wheels that look out for Mom year round and the groups that provide little extras for them to distribute at Christmas time. She was quite tickled to receive a hand crocheted lap robe last year.



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Holiday Travel

December 11 - Holiday Travel
Did you travel anywhere for Christmas?
How did you travel and who traveled with you?
Do you remember any special trips?

There were two different periods when we lived in Akron, NY. We traveled the Thruway regularly to see family and Christmas was no exception. We often made the trip back to CNY and home again on Christmas Eve. There were a couple of years where we spent the night and stayed until Christmas. It never mattered what the weather was doing, we made the trip. We've never vacationed at Christmas time, although we talk about it often. Someday I want to exchange presents on a warm, sandy beach.



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Christmas Gifts

December 10 - Christmas Gifts
What were your favorite gifts,
both to receive and to give?

Books!

Books were my refuge as a kid. I would have spent all of my time reading if I could have. I love to give books to others. My grandchildren know that they will each get a toy, some clothes and at least one book from me.

Mike was just selected for the "Challenge Team" at his school. He has to read several books and then his team will be quizzed on what they remember. Right now he is reading Charlotte's Web. Can you see me beaming with pride through your screen?


There are some special gifts that stand out. All of the handmade gifts that people have made for me over the years I still treasure. 1971 was the first year that Dad wasn't there for Christmas. My sister and I were moved into the larger front bedroom and I was allowed to pick out the bedspreads for our new room. Even though I knew what was under the tree the bedspreads were special because I felt grown-up by being allowed to pick them out and for be trusted to act surprised in front of my brother and sister on Christmas morning.

On Christmas Eve we play Steal Bingo. Everyone brings one gift with a dollar limit, usually $10. The gifts are placed in a pile and everyone who is playing draws a number. Number 1 opens a gift. Number 2 then can steal that gift or open another. If they steal, #1 then opens another. Number three may chose to steal either of the open gifts or they may open a new one. If they steal from #1 then #1 can steal from #2 or open. You may not steal directly back from the person that stole from you but anything else is fair game. When the majority of gifts are open the stealing is fast and furious! The game ends when someone chooses to open the last gift. We have played this with up to 20 people and we can get quite obnoxious with each other. If someone has a gift they don't want they may be begging to have their gift stolen and offering additional items to make the trade sweeter. Some couples or families are notorious for teaming up together to ensure they get what they want. Certain family members have been known to try and hide gifts so that they are not noticed. We always have a great time and everyone looks forward to playing.


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Holiday Parties

December 9 - Holiday Parties
Did your family throw a holiday party each year?
Do you remember attending any holiday parties?

Host a party? LOL Dad would have had a fit if we'd invited people over. The only holiday parties we attended would have been with our scout troops or at church.

After I married John we attended the annual office party every year. I always looked forward to going - a night out, with no kids. It was great to get out but being in a room full of people that I didn't know and who were significantly older than me wasn't always fun. The parties were a lot more fun as I aged ; ) There used to be an annual Christmas party where I work but they haven't had one now in several years. We will have a holiday dinner in the break room a few days before vacation.

Most organizations that I've belonged to have some sort of special meeting or party at this time of year. This year I'll attend my garden club's party next week - if the weather cooperates.




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Noel Wreaths

December 8 - Christmas Cookies
Did your family make Christmas Cookies?
How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?

Every year we looked forward to making sugar cookies. We always used my mother's best friend's recipe. Growing up I didn't realize that people made other types of cookies. Our kitchen was tiny but we managed to squeeze in. I still use that recipe and the sugar cookies are usually the first cookies I make. This year I will be making them with my grandchildren.

Over the years I have participated in many cookie exchanges with co-workers and friends and from these exchanges I've gained a large number of recipes that I start going through about this time each year. Some of the recipes were duds but the memories of the people they came from are keepers.

These days I make many different cookies as each of us has our own favorites. I put together several trays for family and friends each year and each tray also includes some super easy fudge.

My favorite Christmas cookies are Noel Wreaths. I cut the recipe from a magazine years ago but I no longer remember which magazine it was.

Noel Wreaths

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 teasp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. finely chopped walnuts
1/4 c. finely chopped raisins
1/4 c. honey
Red and Green candied cherries OR
Dried Cranberries

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg & vanilla until fluffy. Stir in flour gradually to make a soft dough.
2. Measure out 1/3 c. of the dough; transfer to a small bowl. Blend in walnuts, raisins & honey; reserve.
3. Put remaining dough in a cookie press (or pastry bag) with a small star or round tip. Press out into 1 1/2" rings on ungreased cookie sheets. Fill center of each cookie with about a teasp. of the reserved nut mixture. Decorate with slivers of the candied cherries OR cranberries.
4. Bake at 350° for about 12 min.
   

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The Rocket Ship

December 7 - Christmas Grab Bag Author’s choice.
Please post from a topic that helps you
remember Christmases past!

Christmas meant a trip downtown to visit Santa at the E. W. Edwards Department Store in Syracuse. The store had an Annex across the street from the main store that you got to through a tunnel that ran under the street, a real plus in Syracuse winters.


There we would find Toyland and Santa. But the best part was the monorail that traveled around the ceiling of the annex, called the Rocket Ship.

It appears that the ride first debuted in 1953, a year after the Annex was opened, and was originally called the "Rocket Express." It cost 9¢ to ride. From The Syracuse Herald-American, December 13, 1953, by Liz Dyer:

In one store you can get rid of junior (temporarily) by sending him on a rocket ship ride. He and his cohorts zoom merrily through the sky above the toy department. Luckily the windows of the rocket are "pressure" sealed. Junior is thus assured of plenty of oxygen. And daddy is assured of protection from becoming the object of a bombing mission.

For those of us that grew up in Syracuse during the 50's and 60's, this is a special holiday memory. Last year, Sean Kirst, a local columnist, wrote about Christmas memories of downtown that generated a lot of responses about the Rocket Ship. He then repeated an article that he originally wrote in 2000 here about the rebirth of a similar ride in Rochester.

The only pictures that I could find in old newspapers were the drawings from ads that I've included here and four fantastic pictures that the Onondaga Historical Association has in their Image Database. I can't link directly to the pictures so you will have to do a search for "Edwards". I was shocked when I saw these images and realized that we didn't travel several stories up as in my memories!

E. W. Edwards closed long ago and suburban malls have replaced shopping trips to the city so I count myself lucky to have been the right age at the right time to have been able to ride the Rocket Ship.



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Santa Claus

December 6 - Santa Claus
Did you ever send a letter to Santa?
Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?”
Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

I still believe in the magic of Santa Claus. The picture below was taken at Santa's Workshop, North Pole, NY. Living so close to the North Pole how could I not believe? Most years we also visited Santa at the E. W. Edwards Department Store in Syracuse. More on that tomorrow!

Summer 1964, North Pole, NY

I do remember writing letters to Santa. Mom would look at the list and remind me that Santa couldn't possibly bring me everything. Somehow he always knew what the most important item on the list was and a couple of times he brought me things I didn't know I'd love until they appeared under the tree. I still write to him!

Mom remembers Santa actually visiting their house. He would show up loaded down with presents. It never failed that just before his arrival Mom's Aunt Ruby would have to use the outhouse and be disappointed that she had missed him. Finally one year Mom's sister felt that it was time that somebody put two and two together for Mom and Santa came no more.

Any day now some bully at work will tell one of my littlest ones the "truth" about Santa. It will be my job to tell everyone that Santa only brings presents to good little girls and boys who believe. Then I'll make the bully wait to get off last and when I have them alone they'll have to endure my lecture about the spirit of Christmas. I don't know if my lecture gets through to them or they just don't want to suffer the embarrassment of being the last one to go into school but we'll have no more trash talk about Santa!

I've transcribed some letters to Santa from 1931 here. And if you want to see what kids in the Utica, NY area are asking for this year, here's a link.

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Christmas Lights

December 5 - Outdoor Decorations
Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights?
Did some people really go “all out” when decorating?

The Christmas light displays in our neighborhood were simple. We ran a string of lights across the front of the house. Some neighbors had lights on pine trees in the yard but the teenagers would steal bulbs and smash them in the street so they didn't last long. If you wanted lights you had to decorate early and the lights would remain up until at least March. Dad had a set of hooks on the house and it took him very little time to put them up. Ours didn't all go out if one bulb went but some of the neighbors did and when that happened their lights were done for the season. We used to take evening drives to look at the lights in other neighborhoods.

February 1966, shortly after the blizzard

When we lived in Western NY we would go to Niagara Falls every year for the Festival of Lights. On the way we passed by one house mansion, in Clarence, NY, that was completely outlined in white lights along with the row of pines leading down the driveway that we thought was amazing. When we got to The Falls we'd drive around and look at the lights. Then we'd park and walk around the area near the park because I loved the Oxylights. I don't know quite how to describe it. The entire nine story building was lit up and the lights were synchronized to Christmas music. I've seen the videos of houses with huge light displays set to music but this was very different and I found it mesmorizing. I hate being out in the cold but my kids were always ready to move on before I was. I was disappointed to find this article from last year:

During the now-defunct A Festival of Lights, the entire south side of the glass building was used as the stage for the spectacular “OxyLights,” a display of moving lights and music.

These days we don't do any outdoor decorating. A few of my neighbors do a few lights and those inflatable yard decorations are all over the place. I like the look of icicle lights, especially on some of the old Victorian houses. We do drive through the Lights on the Lake display every few years. Here's a video I found on youtube from last year.






An Advent Calendar count down
to Christmas!

Who else is participating?

Visit Thomas at
Destination: Austin Family
and get the details!