Christmas Lights

dawny75 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-21-2002, 01:50 AM

This is one of my favorite things to do for free! We load up on snacks, and drive through the city displays and expensive neighborhoods looking at all the spectacular displays. I

'm always amazed by people's creativity. One year we saw a house with a blue 'river' of light flowing from their roof to the yard. They had two deer positioned to be drinking from the river.

In our town, the city sponsors a big drive through display, with each set of lights sponsored by a local company. It takes about half an hour to drive through the park and look at the lights.

Anybody else like to do this with their kids?

Dawny

**ajrsmom** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-21-2002, 04:39 PM

We love to do this! In fact, weve done it three times this year.

Im hoping we can talk Dh into taking us to another area of town on one of his days off to look around. My son is 5 and this is the first year that he has really been interested in anything in the way of decorating. He is also very opinionated about what he likes and dislikes--

wonder where he gets that from???

LOL!!

We have a really good time doing this. Ive done this with my family ever since I was a little girl and I dont think Ill ever outgrow it!!

Happy Holidays

Tami

nagymom · #3 (**permalink**) 12-27-2002, 02:23 PM

I'm a little late seeing this question but want to answer anyway.

I too have done this forever! When I was a little girl my dad would load us all up for a drive through "Snob Hill" the old money part of town. I'm 48 and even back then people were creative with lights. This was where I first saw people do color themes on sections of the street and even decorate non-traditional trees. We loved it and my kids grew up enoying the annual light drives. We moved to a tiny little town over the summer that is very economically depressed in areas so there are no spectacular light displays.

In Alabama we had one of those drive through displays that took 30 minutes to see and a small "town" where you could shop and watch a show. I miss that!

I'm hoping that next year will bring some great discovery near by that we can take all the family to see.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!
Jayne

lonyar · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2002, 07:16 PM

We always look at Christmas lights during the season, but what we have started doing the past two years is go out on Christmas Eve just to look at lights. We then select our three favorite houses

and write down the addresses. We write the families a letter and tell them about our tradition and thank them for working so hard in decorating their house.
My husband thinks it is nerdy, but I hope the families appreciate the compliment!

**Bilby** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-29-2002, 07:36 PM

Absolutely

We love to go for a drive and look at the light displays, we get out at a few and they even have a Santa to talk to the kids. We have our lights up and after dinner we walk around our neighbourhood and see the lights closer to home. Wouldn't miss it.

nagymom · #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 03:00 AM

lonyar if I were one of those homeowners I would appreciate the compliment very much! After all, why did they put them up in the first place? For enjoyment! I can't imagine that they would think it strange and in fact think they would be motivated to do more next year.

Jayne

dawny75 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 05:17 AM

I think the notes are such a sweet touch! If I ever got something like that, I'd probably hang it on the tree every year! dawny

SweetContraryMry · #8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 04:02 PM

Gosh I thought this was a must for Christmas!! We usually go out at least once here and then when we get home (Tulsa) we go out once and to the Zoolights too! I must say that one of the biggest things that bothered me about moving away from home is the fact that the Little Rock area just doesnt have the Christmas spirit like Tulsa. Tulsa has several businesses and Rhema Bible College as well as the zoo not to mention the snobby part of town that go all out and are a major tradion in our home to go out and see. I know it does alot for getting me in the Christmas spirit!
Oh and as far as the letter, I would think that would just reinforce why the people do it in the first place. I think it is a great touch and we might have to start doing that here too. Just a kind of question though, what do you think about if you have the money to slip a $5 or $10 in with the comment to go toward either mantenience of their lights or toward their electric bill?? It kinda hit me the other night as we were driving past a place that we enjoy every year that that might be an idea. What do you think??

lonyar · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2002, 07:08 PM

Wow, what a thoughtful idea to include a little bonus with the letter. I think we will do that next year too! That will really make a person feel good, huh? Thanks for the tip!

MrsManiac · #10 (**permalink**) 12-31-2002, 01:30 PM

lol--I did this even before I had kids!! And I love it here--it cracks me up. We live in a country town--lots of farms, etc. There are people that live out in the middle of nowhere that have the most beautiful displays!! It's worth the drive to go see them, even if you are risking getting stuck in the mud!! Some of them, you can see the glow of the lights a mile away!

I think sending a note is a wonderful idea--especially if you include a few dollars. There was a family in Royal Oak that would have a gorgeous display that would get wriiten up in the paper every year. The guy said his electric bill would be over $1100 for the month of December.

And he keeps adding to the display!! I think we'll start sending a note as a new family tradition--I'm sure it'll be appreciated.