The Christmas Glow

December 25, 2005

Aunt Bethany: Is your house on fire, Clark?
Clark Griswold: No, Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.

Clark Griswold, as patriarch of his family, believed that it was his duty as an American to follow Christmas tradition and elaborately illuminate the interior and exterior of his home. I think it is fair to say that a little bit of Clark lives in all of us each holiday season. Men and women teeter on the edge of their roof struggling with the ladder, a tangled mess of lights, and a staple gun. Their families stand on the front lawn with a crick in their necks as they look up to the roof shouting instructions and silently wondering just how long it will take the paramedics to arrive.

The first year I was married, we lived in a gingerbread-esque house – perfect for holiday decorations and lights. Joe still reminds me each year at this time – with a sarcastic undertone - how much he thoroughly enjoyed that first Christmas together. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was less than 10 degrees on the afternoon that I insisted we hanging our exterior lights. Bundled up in layer after layer we (and by we I mean Joe) worked for hours, long after the sun went down, to get those white lights just right – outlining every each of every eve on our house. The sun was the only thing keeping the temperature above zero, so as it set Joe’s fingers became more and more frozen. After all, you can’t manipulate the lights in gloves can you?

Since that first Christmas, our decorating stories have all been rather similar as we hoped for a warm (above freezing) day to get in the spirit. This year, of course, Joe was relieved by the prospect of decorating in a warmer climate. But, as I have alluded to before, I was afraid that the warmer temperatures may stall my holiday spirit. However, the folks in Bluffton did not let me down and it was clear that come Thanksgiving that the Christmas spirit was alive and well.

In our neighborhood, houses were quickly being illuminated as neighbors scurried to finish their displays before dusk on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Since then, we have enjoyed watching the transformation of our neighborhood. White lights, red lights, blue lights, green lights, twinkle lights, rope lights, running lights. Reindeer and sleighs, candy canes, Christmas trees, and a virtual winter wonderland courtesy of one of our technologically gifted neighbors who set up a light show that featured snow flakes falling against the backdrop of their new home.

So today, whether you are celebrating your first or your twenty-first Christmas in the Lowcountry, take a walk around your neighborhood. Appreciate what Christmas means to your neighbors and as the bulbs burn bright all day and night say a little thank you for the gift of Bluffton. We are indeed lucky.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.