There's just something magical about Christmas lights that bring over waves of childlike imagination and memories. I'm in my mid 50's now, but I still love to see the twinkling and blinking of these tiny multicolored decorations around the city center. I don't think Christmas could feel the same if we didn't have them. Now that we have these Christmas lights LED types for the home, there's no longer the threat of one blows they all go. That was the only hassle with the old style lights, and almost every household had at least one occasion where the entire string of bulbs went out. This is no longer the case with LED Christmas lights.
So, you've probably guessed that my favorite month of the year is December. I love the holidays and all of the decorations that help us to get into the spirit. There is nothing more peaceful and tranquil than taking a drive in the early evening and seeing the houses perfectly decorated with Christmas lights.
Outdoor Christmas lights just bring a wonderful feeling of the festive spirit into neighborhoods and communities. I'm especially fond of the white lights, as they look heavenly when there is snow on the ground. Christmas lights in December are the ideal prelude to the beauty of what the holidays really are all about. My favorite Christmas memories all have to do with the Christmas tree decorating.
My father was always in charge of putting the Christmas lights on the tree. Some years were more entertaining than others particularly if the lights were tangled. One particular Christmas, my father had the Christmas lights perfectly placed on the tree when my mother discovered that only half of the lights worked. My poor father had to check every bulb on those strings of lights. After an hour, he was triumphant and the white glow of the lights lit up the living room. I sat and stared at that brightly lit tree for what seemed like hours that night.
I was even allowed a tiny little table top tree in my bedroom as a kid, and it had its own set of mini Christmas lights spiraled around it. I can't think of a nicer way to go to sleep than for a child to have a little Christmas decoration brought into their bedroom. In fact, it's not only nice for children, but it probably the only time of year where I'm not battling to get these little tearaways into bed on time.
Christmas lights seem to come in every color imaginable these days and we all have our favorites. I don't mind various colors but blinking lights indoors drive me crazy now days, but I think that's an age thing! I still love to see flashing outdoor Christmas lights though. If you're anything like me, you will stick to the non-blinking Christmas lights, or at the very least, buy the ones that have the options. This way, they can blink away while the kids are up and get put in a steady glow once they've gone to bed.
My husband and I got married in January, a few weeks after Christmas. Our reception location was decorated in thousands of white Christmas lights. With the dim atmosphere and the sparkling of the white lights, it was my fairytale come true. Everyone seemed to love it as it set the mood perfectly. Christmas lights can make any location seem dreamier and more relaxing.
Christmas lights can set the mood for romance or tranquility no matter what season of the year it may be. Just remember though, when you are taking the lights off of those decorated trees and bushes, organize them neatly for storage. Otherwise, my father will have company the following year as someone in your household struggles to unwrap the tangled mess. Trust me, its worth the extra few moments to be neat and tidy.
Don't forget to shop around for you lights too. If you plan on keeping the same string for a few years, it pays to spend a bit extra. I would also recommend LED Christmas lights as it's just one less hassle to deal with when hanging up your family Xmas decorations in December.
