December 14, 2015

Beauty is in the Eye of the Viewer

Last week I shared the feelings of joy and elation that I felt after receiving a much-yearned for Crissy doll at Christmas time many years ago.  That story brought a confessional from my little brother, who admitted to pulling my doll’s hair out to its full length and swinging her around in circles over his head.  I couldn't believe it!!  Well, at least he apologized about the matter.

I forgive him and it’s okay, because I used to dress his Johnny West doll in Barbie clothing.  Sometimes it’d be jaunty Ken doll attire but other times John would sport frilly ball gowns and high heels.  I even twisted the jointed John man in odd ways such as ape-like poses or other ways so as to make him look positively silly. Or put him in one of the plastic sports cars that our Barbies used to drive. 

I am sorry about that bro, and I guess we’re even. (Wait a minute, I doubt that will ever come to pass).  But there still is this matter of your caveman mentality that led you to drag my doll around by her hair…..it’s a good thing that you grew out of that.

On the lighter side, we piled into the van the other night and headed out for a Christmas light viewing while visiting my brother and his family. 

Some of the neighborhoods were lavishly bedecked in tasteful displays of lights and decorations.  We oohed and aaahed just like we were watching a Fourth of July display.  Other neighborhoods elicited a simple, “uninspired” comment from the front seat.  Where was the Christmas spirit in these dark and dank neighborhoods we all wondered.  What were these humbug party pooper wet blankets thinking?

There was, of course, constructive critique from the family’s chief lighting design engineer.  The colors weren’t right, or the lights didn’t reach the top of the tree, or the display had no uniformity or there was no theme to it all…..everyone's a critic I suppose.

You have to understand, there is a good deal of peer pressure involved here.  When the neighbors hang more lights than Clark Griswold could ever in his wildest dreams imagine, it’s just natural to feel the need to decorate at least one little tree in your yard.   (I’ve solved that problem at my house this holiday season and have taken to leaving the front porch light on so as not to appear to be a non-conformist).

When it comes to Christmas lighting, beauty truly is in the eyes of the onlooker.  Some purists like white lights, others prefer multi-colored strands.  Some are old school and stick with the big oversized light bulbs and others choose the mini led lights. Some hang lovely icicle strands from their roof line, others don the trees with lighted garlands.  And some go for a psychedelic light show with blinky, flashing lights.  There weren’t many of those on display and it makes you wonder if it’s a conspiracy of sorts and manufacturers have discontinued making those highly annoying things. (Wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit).

I say it was all good because someone took the time and made the effort to light up their yard for all of us to enjoy. 

The life-sized animated Santa Claus encased in a clear plastic box was a little disconcerting, I'll have to admit. He kept trying to tell us something as his finger wagged up and down but none of us could hear his words from the vacuum sealed coffin.  I loved the massive deciduous tree completely bedazzled in green lights.  The green tree, they all said, you just have to see it and they were right.  From blocks away the sky glowed like a nuclear test site.   Neighbors nearby don't even bother to decorate their homes with that emerald beauty standing nearby.  No need to compete.

The viewing was a success albeit a bit longer than anticipated with an errant turn that lead us to a remote edge of town.  But even so, we discovered some nicely lit houses out there as we tried to find our way back to the streets of the city.  

Traveling home at the end of the weekend,  close to home I neared the outskirts of Iona, cloaked in a heavy fog.  What greeted me put a smile on my face: that little berg was lit up with Christmas decorations in full force!  Nearly every house along the few blocks through town was aglow.  One sported candy canes across the front yard, another sparkled with thousands of lights on trees and the house. Yet another had electrified candles in every window of the older two-story house.

It was a beautiful sight and I must say that I was very impressed Iona! Thanks for beaming me in safely on a wintry, foggy night. Indeed, it was very inspired!