Christmas Tips

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to touch your life in a very special way? They are the people that from the first time you meet them you know that you have just made a friend. I was blessed with this kind of relationship with one of my dearest friends. She is very giving and caring. It is no great surprise that one of her hobbies is making and also collecting angels. The first year I knew her she gave me an angel Christmas decoration that she had made. It was made with wooden beads and buttons and had a very sweet cherub face. She had made several of the beautiful decorations for a craft sale fund raiser we had at church. It was helping at this fund raiser that I found out that she collects angels.

As I was helping set out the donated craft items for display I mentioned to another church member that my friend had given me an angel Christmas decoration. This other women mentioned that my friend makes a different angel Christmas decoration each year. These ornaments are usually the first things sold at the craft sale because several people in our parish collect them. The craft sale went very well. We made money that is used for various parish functions throughout the year. My friend donates two full days for running this bake and craft sale.

A few days after the craft sale I went Christmas shopping. I came upon a kiosk that was selling crystal ornaments. They had a beautiful angel Christmas decoration. The angel was clear with gold edging along the wings and halo. She was holding a candle. The flame of the candle was also edged in gold. The crystal sparkled and refracted what ever color was near it. I decided that I would buy the angel Christmas decoration for my friend from church. It would be a nice thank you gift for the amount of time she donated to our fund raiser.

The worker at the kiosk wrapped the ornament beautifully in gold gift wrap and embellished it with sparkly ribbon that had starts on it. The name of the shop was gifts from heaven, which I thought was very fitting for this wonderful friend of mine.

I stopped at her house on my way home from shopping to give her the angel Christmas decoration so she could put it on her tree for the season. She cried when opened it and put it on a display hook among her angel collection. I left her house feel warm and happy about the gift I had presented her.

I live in a fairly normal neighborhood. The neighbors are all nice, keep their properties maintained, have normal conversations - things like that. However, the moment that December arrives, they turn into complete weirdos. I tend to think that perhaps my neighborhood has a Christmas decorating contest that I’ve never been made aware of. All of my neighbors on my block, with the exception of myself, go crazy with decorating outside. I can only imagine what their houses must look like inside. What is really strange is that almost all of the houses have a lighted Christmas decoration that is tackier than the next. Let me explain something - nice white outside lights are a good thing, a lighted Christmas decoration that can be seen for miles - not a good thing. However, my neighbors each have found the perfect lighted Christmas decoration for their homes. Directly in front of me is an 8 foot tall Santa lighted Christmas decoration that stares at my house for the entire holiday season. Beside me is a large sleigh and reindeer Christmas decoration that blinks to music. But, my personal favorite is the large house on the other side of me. They not only have one lighted Christmas decoration, but a whole yard full of them. I’m talking, lighted trees, lighted Santas, elves, reindeer, snowman, and even giant packages. Every single one of those items is a lighted Christmas decoration. Each year, I am embarrassed to have family and friends over for the holidays because they make comments on my neighborhood. However, it has also become a source of laughter and entertainment.

The best part of all of my neighbors having at least one lighted Christmas decoration is that I don’t have a need to turn my porch light on for an entire month. In fact, my hallway doesn’t even need a nightlight for the month because the light shines in nice and bright. Perhaps I save a few dollars by not having to put those lights on. I can only imagine what their electric bills must be like for the month. Heck, I can’t even imagine admitting to living at any of those tactfully lit houses. I’m not sure why people feel the need to find a lighted Christmas decoration and show it off to every passerby. Put pretty lights on your trees and shrubbery, or even your roofs. But, why the need to purchase the largest lighted Christmas decoration that you can find. Is it necessary? And if you absolutely have to have a tacky lighted Christmas decoration, or several - please don’t move into my neighborhood. I have all the holiday cheer that I can handle for the season!