The lights of Christmas connect us with the past.  For as long as people have been aware of the seasons of the year, they have been finding ways to light up the long nights of winter.  We are talking about thousands of years of human history here, and me, I am part of that history.  We have lights on our tree, lighted houses in our foyer, another Christmas tree in the family room with lights shaped like drums, and flameless candles scattered all over the house that come on with timers. Outside we have lights over our front door, a lighted snowman on the porch and multi-colored lights on the bushes. All of these lights are designed to chase away the winter and nurture a tired spirit, just as they have been since the dawn of recorded time.

First thing I do when I get home in the afternoon is go around turning on all the lights.  I especially want the outside lights on for people as they drive by on their way home. I want my lights on for others because I get so much pleasure from their displays.  There are a few people who leave theirs on all the time, so they are on in the morning when I leave for work. Our neighbors have new lights this year with an inflatable Santa and reindeer, and I get a perfect view of them through the big picture window on the stairs.  Across the street, they have a wire reindeer lit with white lights whose head moves up and down.  I love coming home at night because almost every house on our block has lights out, and it is like being transported to a fantasy world.

And I do love fantasy…