Scott and I put up our Christmas lights early this year, like the first week of November. For those of you who live close to us, this may confuse you, seeing as there are no Christmas lights on our house. Scott was off track and it was really warm outside, so we figured the temperature might be bearable on our north-facing roof which tends to be about 20 degrees cooler than its counterpart across the street. All you North-Facers know what I mean: chipping ice off your driveway in April while the South-Facers are tending tulips and daffodils.
Anyway, to make a long story short, between the two of us, we had two and a half strands up when we reached the point we could connect to the extension cord. Scott plugged them in and exactly 1/2 of each strand worked. I'm not trying to point fingers or place blame, because as frustrating as this scenario can be, I really find it quite funny. I'd figured he had checked all the lights before we climbed the ladder, and he'd figured all the lights would work since this was only their second year. We just took them down.
After Thanksgiving we put our tree up and had half a strand of burned out lights that I just bunched in a huge wad near the top, somewhat out of sight and hidden behind a working strand. We ordered a Light Keeper Pro and an LED Keeper with the intention to fix the tree lights and the outside lights.The Light Keeper Pro got most of the tree lights working again so I restrung, but it basically told us that the strand was so old and damaged that it would never function fully again.
We never fixed the outside lights, making this is the first year ever that we haven't put up lights. A couple weeks ago I climbed the shelves in the garage and pulled down the light-up candy canes in attempt to remedy the cheer-less front yard. I couldn't find the stakes, so I just waited until it snowed enough to stick them in and balance them against the rocks along the flower bed. The only bad thing was that when it snowed again, it knocked them over, so now I have one standing and three lying in the snow. It looks like a little kid's gingerbread house made with heavy candy and thin icing. As for the Christmas tree, about two weeks ago, my son climbed on top of the couch and leaned onto the tree to get the singing cow ornament and jiggled something enough that the entire finicky strand of lights went out.
That story wasn't very short. But here's what I want to say: we didn't have any Christmas lights up (candy canes aside), and an entire strand of burned out lights left a 12" deep black spot on the Christmas tree for nearly two weeks. Not only that, but I never got out my Christmas village or most of my other decorations. Here's the crazy thing: we still had a wonderful Christmas!!!
I attribute my change in thinking to decluttering my house. In years past, the lack of lights may have really stressed me out. As I've gone through my house and gotten rid of so much stuff, I've learned to set aside the notion that things hold value and meaning. I realized I still love my daughter just as much now as I did before I threw away the art project she made. I realized my husband loves me just as much now as he did before I donated the sweater he bought me seven years ago. I realized that I still have the same memories of my amazing trip to New York without the Empire State Building Shot Glass collecting dust on my window sill. I realized I could still have the spirit of Christmas without lights. Plus, it's going to be really easy to clean up all the decorations I never got out! I realized that what makes me happy is Extreme Dancing with my kids in the kitchen, singing off pitch at the top of my lungs in the car, eating dinner at the table with my family (even if it IS just cold cereal), watching my baby attack her stuffed animals, hanging out with our friends, laughing at anything, and taking care of our home physically and spiritually so we have a nice environment for all of that happiness to happen in.
My goal is to continue to simplify and find meaning and value in the relationships around me every day. I love my family, I love my friends and wonderful neighbors, and I love life! Life is full of so many wonderful experiences, and so much fun and laughter. May we all choose to smile and dance in the kitchen every day. Merry Christmas!
the Black Hole
The Festive Celebration that is our yard.
It just screams MERRY CHRISTMAS.
True Happiness
