Luminaries @ Golf Course Acres

This year is the 33rd Annual Light Up and will take place on Saturday, December 17, 2011. At dark thirty.

These photos were taken in 2008 in front of my house in Elizabethton, TN. I wish I could find pro photos taken of these lights because my cellphone just doesn't do it justice. It really is a magical evening with everyone driving around with their parking lights on and neighbors in their yards and street all afternoon and evening. Mother and I made us an eggnog cocktail and sat back and watched the traffic come by.

I know it's nothing grand but I like the charm of small town tradition and it's traditions like these that have been a part of my holidays for 30+ years now.

Christmas Meme

I found this at Deb's sugarfused.net website.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? EGG NOG. WITH VANILLA VODKA IN IT :)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? I HAVEN'T DECIDED ABOUT HOW TO DO PHOENIX'S PRESENTS YET. PROBABLY JUST PUT THEM UNDER THE TREE UNWRAPPED.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? WHITE LIGHTS ON MY HEARTH, WHITE LIGHTS ON THE OUTSIDE GARLAND FRAMING THE WINDOWS, AND MULTI-COLORED LIGHTS ON MY TREE.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I HAVEN'T IN AGES.

5. When do you put your decorations up? WE ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE THEM DONE BY DECEMBER 13TH (WE ALWAYS DID IT ON ROBIN'S BIRTHDAY), BUT USUALLY TAKES A FEW DAYS LATER THAN THAT.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? GLAZED HAM WITH PINEAPPLES IS THE MAIN DISH BUT ALSO THE JUNK FOOD STUFF-- CHEX MIX, EVENING COCKTAILS, THE COOKIES WE BAKE.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: I LOVED GOING TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE ON CHRISTMAS DAY AND GATHERING EVERYONE AROUND THE TABLE TO EAT AND WE HAD DRAWN NAMES FOR PRESENTS. IT WAS ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? CHRISTMAS EVE AFTER DINNER, MY FRIENDS WERE HERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE DOORBELL RANG AND IN CAME SANTA CLAUS! WE TOLD HIM WHAT WE WANTED AND WERE ALL GIDDY AND STUFF AND WHEN HE LEFT I PEAKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW HIM LEAVE IN A BLACK BUICK. BIG BUMMER.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? YES!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? WITH ORNAMENTS COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE PLUS ABOUT 50 BARBIE COLLECTIBLE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS THAT ROBIN HAD AND OTHER COLLECTIBLES LIKE FRANK SINATRA, HOWDY DOODY, PRINCESS LEIA, AND MORE.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT! DOESN'T EVERY SOUTHERNER?

12. Can you ice skate? NO.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? GETTING A GROWN UP BIG GIRL WATCH ONE YEAR. MY EASY BAKE OVEN! A BRIDE DOLL I LOVED BUT GOT HER DIRTY AND MOTHER TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME BECAUSE I WAS TOO ROWDY. :(

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? I LIKE THE REVERENCE OF GATHERING FOR MIDNIGHT MASS (THIS YEAR AT ST THOMAS EPISCOPAL IN ELIZABETHTON) WITH THE CEREMONIAL INCENSE, PROCESSION, THE MUSIC, THE FELLOWSHIP WHETHER IT WAS A BUDDHIST CEREMONY OR AT THE LOCAL UNITARIAN CHURCH.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? WHITE FRUIT CAKE IS ONE OF THEM. IT'S NOT REALLY A FRUIT CAKE, BUT MORE LIKE A BUTTERY POUND CAKE WITH FRUIT. YOU CAN FIND THE RECIPE ON THIS LINKS OF RECIPES I HAVE HERE.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? THE LUMINARIES

17. What tops your tree? AN ANGEL

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? NOW WHO IN THE HELL IS GOING TO SAY RECEIVING?

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. I HAVE CRIED DRIVING OVER THE MOUNTAINS IN SNOWSTORMS TO GET HOME TO MY FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS WHILE LISTENING TO THIS SONG.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? MEH... I LIKE THE STICKS!! IF YOU DON'T BUY THEM EARLY, THEY ARE ALWAYS SOLD OUT AROUND HERE BUT I FOUND SOME THIS YEAR.

Let me know if you played along!

Luminaries @ Dark Thirty

in front of my house. I wish I could find pro photos taken of these lights because my cellphone just doesn't do it justice. It really is a magical evening with everyone driving around with their parking lights on and neighbors in their yards and street all afternoon and evening. Mother and I made us an eggnog cocktail and sat back and watched the traffic come by.

I know it's nothing grand but I like the charm of small town tradition and it's traditions like these that have been a part of my holidays for 30 years now.

Who's Done With Their Decorating?

You? And you, too? Damn. Bend over and let me give you a swift kick because I'm totally jealous.

This is the one night of the year that our neighborhood puts out the luminaries for all to see.

And, by the freaking by, the neighborhood committee would love it if you'd have your house and yard decorated as well. Grrrrr.

But it's really quite beautiful and festive and this year is the 30th anniversary of the lights which someone decided to call, ahem, "Lights For Jesus".

So I better get busy and slap some lights up outside and maybe decorate the front of my Christmas tree-- the side that's in the front window. ha!

UPDATE: 4:00 PM - luminaries in place. Waiting until 5:30 to go back out and light them en masse.

Neighborhood Luminaries

Neighborhood Luminaries
Originally uploaded by sujaco.

As my note on Flickr says,

"...we set the bags out at (5P) and as soon as we got them lit the rains came. As I sit here indoors, the bags are now soggy and most all of the candles have been blown out by the wind." :(

But the neighborhood is still festive and has on it's party clothes.

**UPDATED Sunday: We still had a nice crowd of visitors driving around looking at lights. Some people really have nice, elaborate decorations. I have a large wreath, garland with white lights and burgundy bows. And a big old Snowman on the front door that Robin made long ago out of that puffy white quilt filling. Looks pretty good if I say so myself. Going over the mountain later today to spend the night with hubby and see my grandbaby.

Light Up This Saturday

Do you have a neighborhood in your area that does the lighting of the luminaries? You know, the votive candles set in sand inside a white bag that line the streets?

Our neighborhood (in Elizabethton, TN) does that every year. Someone collects the money for the candles and bags and delivers them to your door and you put them out on a certain date. You pick up enough sand to use that's in a central neighborhood location. (gotta go do that today!)

This Saturday at 5P, December 15, 2007, until 11P is the day to 'light up'. Cars come from all over the place and drive with their parking lights on only. It's bumper to bumper and the cops come out to direct the traffic. It's really quite a sight. They usually get an aerial photo which is astounding so I hope to find one to post.

With all the Christmas vs Holiday controversy, and with people of all faiths that also live here in our 'hood, I'm a little surprised they named the event "Lights For Jesus" but no one's said anything about it.

Do you have a neighborhood in your area that does the lighting of the luminaries? You know, the votive candles set in sand inside a white bag that line the streets? Mother's neighborhood does that every year. Someone collects the money for the candles and bags and delivers them and you put them out on a certain date. This Saturday at dusk til 11pm is our time for that. Cars come from all over the place and drive with their parking lights on only. It's bumper to bumper and the cops direct traffic. Quite a sight. They usually get an aerial photo which is astounding. With all the Christmas/Holiday controversy, and non-Christians that also live here, I'm a little surprised they named the event "Lights For Jesus" but no one's said anything about it.

I DO have the Christmas tree all assembled. And it's so beautiful. I brought down the decorations from the attic and the lights and other items that go throughout the house and outdoors. Next I'm going to put out some outdoor stuff. Mother's finishing a burgundy velvet bow to go on the gold and burgundy decorated outdoor straw wreath. She's the bowmaker around the family and master present wrapper.

Are you a good present wrapper? I'm not so good at it myself, but I always enjoy wrapping presents so much.