It should come as no surprise that I am not a fan of this time of year.

Too many years in retail, too many times away from family have left me a rather jaded and cynical man.  But there are a few things that I do like.  I talked about the Christmas shows, and movies that I like to see during the holidays in my post, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.”  Another thing that I have enjoyed is driving around with the family looking at lights.  In a nice warm vehicle sipping on hot chocolate, listening to christmas music looking at the excess that is Christmas decorations.

One of the things about where I live in Pennsylvania is that it is a fairly mobile area.  Families moving in and moving out.  This makes the light situation a little difficult in that the house that you used to go see might not have the same family in it this year as it did last.

This has happened more times than I would like to mention over the years.  There was one family just on the outside of town that had a loss of one of the family members during the year.  This family had a long driveway that they put up moving decorations, piped it music, and just plain did it up on.  You drove in, and were in a magical kingdom.  The last year we went out there it was dark with a sign that simply said, “Death in the family.  No lights.”  My heart broke for them.

Then there was the year of the mysterious locking, and unlocking of the van doors.  We decided to go out to look at lights, got the three kids in the van backed out of the driveway and as we were driving down the road….the doors locked.  Really?  Then they unlocked.  I, of course, yell back at the kids to quit messing around with the door locks.  And, of course, I have a trio of voices telling me that they aren’t doing anything.  But the locks kept locking and unlocking as we traveled around.  It took me awhile to figure out it was my Ex and her….shall we say eccentric sense of humor.  She spent the evening giggling to herself…

We are supposed to get some snow tonight.  That is what really makes Christmas lights look amazing…when it is snowing big, fat, fluffy flakes.

Hope you get the chance to go see some with your families this season.