What to Do for a Christmas Eve Outing with Your Family

Christmas Light viewing:
Every year we try to do a drive by, not your normal high speed pass with the nine mm blazing, but a leisurely drive through neighborhoods in our area to view the Christmas lights.

Some years are better than others, I once had a neighbor who did his entire property in a theme, one year a pirate's ship, masts and all, another a steam ship with a revolving wheel. Not all homeowners are that creative or well off, but usually one can find a huge assortment of individual creativity at work!

There was even an entire neighborhood where we used to live that lined the streets, driveways and sidewalks with candles in paper bags, giving a very unique flavor to the holiday.

Some areas would be lit sparsely, and others blazing like a midnight sun! Some of our favorite areas had small ponds or lakes, surrounded by houses and trees all be-lighted, reflections glancing off the water.

In the rural areas, ranchers would light fences and outbuildings in every color Christmas light available, several even lit up the barns, tractors and wagons, others had light strings on carriages and there was even one horse with lights ridden through town.

We still travel the neighborhoods here in our new hometown, yet the wealthy retreat into gated communities, reserving Christmas holiday light shows for the glory to their own neighbors, depriving those of us not so fortunate the pleasure of a viewing.

If you are trying to think of something the whole family can do together for the Christmas holiday, consider a drive by of the non- violent kind!

Merry Christmas everyone!