The Christmas lights
“The light shines in the darkness” John 1:5
One of the best things about the darker nights is everywhere is aglow with festive lights and candles. I do like a bit of sparkle in the garden, but this year we haven’t got our Christmas trees to decorate: one of the potted ones had reached a height far too big for our tiny garden so we gave it to someone to plant on their large 2 acre garden. The smaller one turned brown in the hot weather when we had to limit our water use because of the drought in the local reservoirs, and no matter how I tried, I couldn’t revive it.
I bought a string of warm white lights for DH to wind around the branches of the amelanchier tree. Not an easy exercise and even now when it is lit of an evening we can see where adjustments are needed – though if this rain continues that might not happen and we will have to live with it being a little cockeyed this time around!
Whilst browsing the Argos catalogue online for the string lights I spotted the ones in the photo below and they are also warm white, battery operated on a timer, and even better they were reduced.
The little flower bulbs on the end of a flexible stalk do look pretty amongst the foliage in my two wooden troughs under the window in the front garden.
I do like to see everyone else’s garden lights; at one time when our children were young we would pile into the car one night after tea and do a tour of the neighbourhood and secretly award people first, second and third prize and a highly commended (for anyone who had obviously tried hard). Of course there were fewer people putting lights out at all back then; our own cul-de-sac has since exploded with light shows, though I am always glad I don’t live next to the flashing ones.
This year we have had to seek out battery operated lights because we recently had a new electric garage door fitted and it clamps shut very tightly with the floor so running a cable outside from an indoor socket underneath the door is no longer an option. I expect fitting an outdoor socket will be another task for DH in the new year.
Meanwhile, inside on the mantlepiece, I have quite a minimal look at the moment of pine cones and one or two favourite cards, and they are set off with the tiny lights threading their way through. I will probably swap this over for more Christmassy decor when I get the box of treasures out.
With all this light shining amongst us how can we fail to rejoice in the Christmas season.
If you think you are missing days 16 and 17 then you are quite right.
Day 16 – Tuesday, we had our hair appointments in the morning (need to look a bit spruced up for the day), then shopped the rest of the day buying the last of the food and inbetween we hand delivered a few cards to save on postage. Shopping at the moment is just too exhausting.
Day 17 – Wednesday, I went to Master Freddie’s school Nativity play. He was a star (in both sense of the word!) It was a modern musical Nativity called – ‘Lights, Camel, Action’ and included the whole primary school. He is at a new school now since the move, with only 120 pupils, and it is the first time I have been able to go and see him in anything as his previous one limited the audience to parents only. They had 3 showings, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to accomodate everyone but half the children were away ill and others had to play 2 parts to cover. They all did marvellously and I so enjoyed it….not so sitting on those tiny chairs!
Welcome to my new readers – I hope you are enjoying following along whilst I create our little Christmas here. I have still plenty of tasks to do and hopefully, I will get to blog about them in the next few days.
Back soon x
If you would like to leave a comment please click here.
where the journey takes me 2 
I have solar lights that I leave up all year in the back garden, but the front is difficult, so I’ve put a small glittery reindeer on a stick in the flowerpot and a big wreath with tartan ribbon on the door.
Iris is recovering from chickenpox and Baby C has shown no signs YET!
OH got his hair cut (what’s left of it) yesterday and I’m going on Monday.
Did well with the veg yesterday at Morrisons as they had priced them at 5p.
Run out of wrapping paper so will pick some up tomorrow. Xx Gill
LikeLike
I panic at chickenpox as I have never had them, but nursed a few children with them. Sometimes just a few touches of Christmas is as good as a garden full. X
LikeLike
I usually put up 2 artificial Christmas trees outside – 1 in the car port on the North side of the house and 1 in the lean-to greenhouse on the South side but this year with the scaffolding up the vents in the greenhouse are open so that poles can go through them so only the car port one is up. The living trees in the garden are too big for me to put lights on them. Indoors I use loads of lights, candles and greenery.Marking the turning of the year and the return of the light feels so important.
Sue
LikeLike
I do love winter and the dark nights, but not so the darker mornings – I always sleep longer and find it hard to wake myself up quickly. I reckon it should be a time of hibernation and slowing down – well that is my intention anyway – perhaps I should have been a hedgehog!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I still enjoy seeing the lights and other decorations that people put up in their front gardens and windows. Glad the Nativity play went well and you were able to see Freddie in his (star)ring role.
LikeLike
Me too, and some people really go to town now, but where on earth do they store them all?
LikeLike
You really can’t beat some twinkly lights at this time of year to brighten up the dark nights. It just lifts everything. Glad you got to see master Freddy in his school play. (johnnyjumpsup)
LikeLike
Our garden is not so lit up this year because we can’t run the electric cable outside, so only a few battery lights, on the good side less to remove later!
LikeLike