We don’t celebrate Christmas. We still love Christmas. You don’t mind, do you?
Helaine and I were driving back from dinner when she pointed to a house decorated with enough lights it might be mistaken for a runway.
“There’s a palm tree,” she said.
I didn’t see it. No problem. A u-turn at the next street and we were back for a better look.
As long as we were out, in the mood and Bing Crosby was playing on the radio we took a quick recon mission through the neighborhood. We’ve lived here 20+ years and there were streets we saw tonight we’d never seen before! A good 25% of the houses are decorated.
Tastes are subjective. Some houses were bright and garish. Others were more sedate with a sprinkling of lights.
We saw one backyard with its trees wrapped in lights. That’s unusual. There was a house with an inflated Santa riding a polar bear… which I originally thought was a pig. Another had a digital countdown clock marking the minutes until Christmas!
It’s tough not to get in the spirit. We don’t fight it.
It all boils down to two things: celebrating the solstice, the shortest day of the year and then the gradual beginning of light in the darkness again, and the redeeming belief that it is better to give than to receive.
As a Muslim, I’m always jealous for the fact that I cannot celebrate Christmas.
Geoff, I happen to think it’s great when people of other faiths are interested in Christmas! Since many places are closed for the holiday, I like to think that folks in other denominations have a little down time to visit friends/family, check out a movie or a nice restaurant and enjoy each other’s company. (and if you happen to find some joy in the decorative houses, that’s surely a plus!!!) 😀 Evi
The Solstice is for everyone … celebrate the return of the light!! And this year it’s particularly celebratory, with the lunar eclipse and all.
I was raised Catholic so this time of year is all about Christmas in my family, but to me the Solstice is the real “reason for the season”. Everyone should be able to mark that somehow.