With Thanksgiving weekend just past many people have started decorating for Christmas. It is fun to drive by houses that are lit up with lights. I appreciate the generosity of those who are willing to put up lights and pay the electric bill to share some beauty during this time of year.
How did your family decorate for Christmas when you were young? Did your family put up lights outside as well as decorating a Christmas tree? When did your family start decorating? Did your family start right after Thanksgiving or did you wait till closer to Christmas? Did you take down the decorations right after Christmas or did you leave them up until New Years or maybe even longer? What did you like best about the decorations? What kind of decorations did your community have? Did your family make any special trips to see certain Christmas lights or displays?
When I was young our family put up a tree and hung a few outdoor lights about a week before Christmas and then we kept them up until New Year's Day. We always had a live Christmas tree which was decorated with icicles, ornaments and lights. When I was about ten years old, I got a nativity scene. It was made from cardboard, but I really liked it because it reminded me of the Christmas story.
With my own children we lived in Salt Lake City and made a annual trek to Temple Square for the Christmas lights. We decorated a Christmas tree, first real ones and later an artificial one, and outlined the windows with lights. I put up my nativity scene each year. I have good memories. I hope my family has good memories too.
Sharing how you and your family decorated adds to your story. Record your memories. Then write down how you decorated this year.
