Light, Bright

The child in me is thrilled to see holiday outdoor light displays.  There is one particularly charming light display in the neighborhood near our home.  The cottage-style house and yard are decorated brightly, tastefully and joyfully.  The stores in our downtown are also boasting beautiful displays of lights, evergreens, ornaments and more.  They're attractive whether in daylight or in the glow of the evening. Even our condo is taking on holiday cheer these days with a combination of lights, antique ornaments, natural elements and the beloved red felt cardinals that my late mom made.  At this time of year, I dedicate some of my "time to be" to taking the slow, longer route home so I can be mesmerized by holiday displays.  Whether it's been a year of sadness and sorrow or one of joy and jubilation or somewhere in between, I find solace, peace and happiness in the light, the bright that shines in the darkness this month.

Decked in Holiday Style

Our community has a picturesque downtown.  Everything is situated around a stately courthouse in the town square: a wide variety of retail establishments, banks and law offices, coffee shops and restaurants, a florist, two bookstores, a magnificent theater, churches and more.  There is vintage lighting, a cannon on the courthouse lawn and a pocket park for the children.  Our downtown is beautiful at any time of the year but it is particularly enchanting at Christmas.  Swags of evergreens with deep red bows hang from the exteriors of the well-kept old buildings while evergreen roping twines around every vintage light pole throughout the retail district.  Twinkling holiday lights are everywhere.  You don't have to go to the big city to enjoy artfully crafted Christmas window displays.  A stroll in our fine community's vibrant downtown is a treat, with nearly every store window decked in holiday style.  One sees charming and elaborate displays of antiques, the latest in children's toys and games, mannequins attired in stunning royal purple evening gowns, shimmering silver, old and new books, and colorful kitchen gadgets and cookware.  A couple of the surrounding communities offer weekends of historic living windows in their downtowns, where shop windows are decorated with vignettes depicting holiday seasons of old.  Small-town life is a gift and at Christmas time, it seems to be wrapped up beautifully with a bow.